IV. 




Class _ 

Book. 

Copyright^ 






COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



A lawyer's brief 



on 



THE ATONEMENT 



BY 

CHARLES CARROLL MORGAN 



" Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with 
God through our Lord Jesus Christ." — Rom. v, 1. 



Si?* 3fart $Ul IJroa 

SAMUEL USHER 

176 TO 184 HIGH STREET 

BOSTON, MASS. 






Copyright, 1910 
By Charles Carroll Morgan 



©CI.A259964 






CHRIST 



versus 



THE WORLD 



Preface 

The following discussion of the Atonement is a brief 
presentation of the subject, which it is hoped will be useful 
to the ordinary reader of the Bible. Its purpose is to set 
forth clearly the fundamental principles of the atoning work, 
as they appear to be taught in the Scriptures, — to show 
their philosophic relations to each other, — and to make 
plain the wisdom of the plan of salvation as revealed through 
Jesus Christ. 

The method of treating the subject is such as the author 
has been accustomed to in the preparation of briefs for serv- 
ice in courts of jurisprudence. Although there are some 
disadvantages in this method, it is believed that they will 
be more than offset by the gain in bringing the important 
points into closer relations with each other, so as best to 
show their mutual bearings and general effect. With a 
similar end in view, courts usually require briefs in complex 
cases. 

Frequent references are made to Scripture proofs; but, 
since it is felt that, in many instances, they will not be 
deemed by all of sufficient authority, attention is often in- 
vited to the underlying principles of the relations between 
God and man — principles which, in the very nature of 
things, are inherent, and whence there appears to be no 
escape. In a good number of cases, however, the portions 
of Scripture cited are referred to not because they are thought 
needful as proofs, but rather to call attention to their har- 
mony with the course of reasoning pursued, and to show 
their availability for purposes of instruction. As the Scrip- 
ture citations are numerous, it has been thought best to 
print the passages, referred to, at the bottom of the pages, 
in order that they may be seen at a glance, without the 



vi Preface 

trouble of turning over the leaves of the Bible. The trans- 
lation of these passages is that contained in the Authorized 
Version of the Scriptures. In many cases, however, the 
Revised Version or other versions will be found to serve 
the purpose even more effectively. 

The reader is advised, in his first perusal of the book, to 
refrain from examining the Scripture citations, so that he 
may better keep the continuity of the argument and may 
get its full force. As the argument is condensed, it will be 
understood that, in practical use, it is meant to be amplified 
and illustrated as occasion may require, and that, in reading 
its opening portions (including Sections I to III, inclusive, 
which are in the nature of an introduction and are meant to 
lay a foundation for what follows), it will be found desirable 
to proceed slowly and thoughtfully, so as to gain a good 
understanding of the truths considered, in their logical 
relations. Wherever the argument rests partly on views 
which may seem, to some of the readers, antiquated, — or 
wherever it is based to any extent on passages of Scripture 
which they may deem, in the light of recent criticism, of 
insufficient authority, — it is suggested that they pass over 
such views or omit such passages, and consider whether, 
without them, the theory of the Atonement herein set forth 
is not, on the whole, well grounded. 

As a humble layman, the writer begs the indulgence of 
professional theologians for his trespass upon their province, 
and of readers in general for his want of ampler qualifica- 
tions for the discussion of a subject of such profound impor- 
tance. In excuse for his temerity in publishing this mono- 
graph, the writer can only plead the expressed desire of many 
friends, and the approval of his so doing by several able 
theologians to whom it was previously submitted, — further- 
more, his personal feeling that, if he can do anything to help 
others to a better understanding of the matter, it will be to 
him an inexpressible pleasure. 



Con tents 



PAGE 

Introductory statement 1 

I 

THE NATURE AND ATTRIBUTES OF GOD 

The existence of God, necessarily inferred from Nature . . 3 
The Great First Cause shows the attributes of a living 

person 4 

The grounds of our disposition to worship him and pray to 

him 4 

Why we deem God infinite 4 

Necessary corollaries of his infinite attributes 5 

Matter cannot be identified with the divine essence ... 5 

Pantheism must be rejected 6 

A vital union possible between God and man 7 

No limitation, by such a union, of the attributes of a 

transcendent Deity 8 

The Divine wisdom and goodness 9 

But one Infinite Being possible in the universe 9 

Logical impossibility of his creating another infinite being, 9 

Polytheism absurd 10 

II 

MAN'S INHERENT RELATIONS TO HIS MAKER AND TO 
OTHER SPIRITUAL BEINGS 

Man's moral nature, the source of his most ennobling rela- 
tions 11 

These relations bring duties, rights and privileges .... 11 
Man's instruction in his duties: 

(1) By revelations of the Deity 11 

(2) By conscience and reason 11 

(3) By inspired messengers 11 

(4) By God's providential dealings 12 

(5) By enlightenment from the Holy Spirit .... 12 

(6) By illustration in Christ 13 

Divine appeals for the best, and assurance of a just recom- 
pense 14 

God's gift to man of free moral agency 14 



viii Contents 

HI PAGE 

MAN'S SINFULNESS AND ITS ORIGIN 

Finite man, moved by selfish desires contrary to the 

promptings of his higher nature 15 

Distrust of God leads to wrongdoing 15 

God's foreknowledge of evil 15 

Why did he not guard against it by withholding free agency 15 

Would he not do better to constrain man to the right . . 15 

The degrading consequences of such constraint 15 

Little reason, if so constrained, for the continuance of 

man's spiritual being 16 

Would not man prefer to keep his free agency and to live 

nearer to God 17 

Inducement to right relations with God and with human 

associates, opened through the atonement by Christ . . 18 



IV 

THE ATONEMENT A MEANS OF REDEMPTION THROUGH 
RECONCILIATION TO GOD 

Significance of the word atonement 19 

Sinners, at enmity with God 19 

God's love for sinners and his efforts to attract them ... 20 

No fellowship with God without a reconciliation 21 

No just reconciliation without a radical change in the 

disposition of the sinner 22 

Atonement therefore demands reconciliation to God ... 22 



V 

FORGIVENESS, REWARDS AND PUNISHMENTS 

When so reconciled, we are received into God's good 

pleasure 23 

But there is no increase of God's good will toward us . . 23 
God, immutable — his ultimate purposes being the same 

from the beginning 23 

Yet he is not an impassive deity 23 

Repentance leads us to conform to God's plans 25 



Contents ix 

PAGE 

The Divine forgiveness 26 

Blessings which follow such forgiveness 26 

Some privations of happiness, despite the divine forgiveness, 27 

Recompense according to the deeds done in the body . . 29 

The full penalty of their sins not visited on the redeemed . 29 

Other suffering for sin, borne by our Saviour 29 

Nature of the penalty for sin 30 

111 results from violating the laws of our organisms in- 
evitable 30 

No relief, without suspension or overruling of these laws, 

while their violation continues 31 

The wise regulation of that which is finite 31 

Well, for intelligent free agents, to suffer the natural 

results of their intentional wrongdoing 31 

Moral government sustained only in this way 32 

Sin is willful disobedience to the laws of God 32 

Divine punishments besides those the offenses bring on 

themselves 32 

Such punishments, acts of mercy 32 

The suffering, essentially disciplinary or preventive ... 33 
Though death ensues, it brings avoidance of greater guilt 

and wretchedness 34 

Folly of questioning God's all-wise providence 35 

Special providences of the Almighty 36 

Freedom in the moral universe, for himself as well as for 

his creatures 37 

God, in his relations to us, no automaton 37 

Our conviction of his fatherly character 37 

His indignation, anger and wrath always tempered by love, 38 
Judgment of the world, and the severance of the wicked 

from the just 38 

Peace, impossible to the just while in familiar companion- 
ship with the wicked 39 

Wretchedness, unavoidable, from rejection of the divine 

love and from perseverance in wrongdoing ...... 39 

Such wretchedness intensified by separation from the 
righteous and by increased companionship with the 

wicked 39 



x Contents 

PAGE 

No good ground for questioning the fullness of God's 
mercy and its ample manifestation 39 

~ VI 

THE MORAL CORRECTIVE OF SIN 

Sin an unmistakable result of lack of faith in God .... 40 

Faith defined 42 

Faith, so far as it involves trust, frequently intermittent . 42 

Causes of such intermittence 43 

Sufficiency of our faith, with the aid of the Holy Spirit . 43 

Paul's trust sometimes subverted by sinful habits .... 43 

Paul's hope of deliverance 44 

The conviction of the apostles as to faith 44 

Jesus' illustration of power through faith 44 

His teaching that the prayer of faith will always be 

answered 44 

What is the object of faith 45 

What faith in God necessarily involves 46 

The desire of true suppliants that God's will shall prevail . 46 

Attainments in righteousness, measured by faith .... 47 
Christ attributes the weakness of his disciples to the 

feebleness of their faith 48 

New Testament declarations of purification, justification, 

and sanctification, by faith, — and of righteousness and 

salvation, through faith 48 

Restoral of mankind to such faith as is needful for 

redemption 49 

VII 
THE DIVINE WAY OF ESTABLISHING FAITH 

Only one way of reestablishing a divine faith, without the 
subversion of human freedom, — viz., through a new 

revelation of God in his relations to man 51 

Jesus Christ, the medium of such a revelation 51 

What he was in respect to both God and man 51 

Christ supremely qualified to meet man's moral needs . . 52 

What we are told of his human nature 52 

Its superiority to ours, only in character 54 



Contents xi 

PAGE 

Its quick recognition of evil and the effective forewarning 

of it against temptation 55 

Consideration of how the human Jesus was endowed, 

from the beginning, with a perfect moral nature .... 57 

What we are told of Christ's divine nature 57 

Conclusion as to what Christ is, in respect to his divine 

nature 59 

How the Jews understood and resented the claims of Jesus, 60 
His declarations to Philip concerning himself and the 

Father 60 

What substantially was claimed by him in these declara- 
tions 60 

Belief in his revelation of God, as a means to faith in God, 62 
Necessity that man should know God, as revealed through 

Christ 62 

The revelation of God, through Christ, the highest possible 

to the mind of man 63 

Inquiry as to how a divine nature and a human could be 

united in Christ 63 

Significance of the term, oneness, as commonly used ... 63 

Absolute oneness and oneness of life 63 

Inquiry as to God's living and abiding relationship with 

the soul 64 

May not unwavering faith be the bond of union 64 

The prayer of faith, a means of union 64 

Steadfast desire for the preservation of the spiritual life . 64 

How oneness with God is conceded 65 

The perfect faith of Jesus in the Father, and the fruits of 

this faith 65 

His vital oneness with the Deity, and his inherent power 

therefrom 66 

The majesty of Jesus Christ's power and the splendor of 

his being 67 

Jesus' prayer for the oneness of his followers with the 

Father and himself 67 

The answer to this prayer 69 

Entrance into this oneness, synonymous with " the new 

birth " and with entrance into the kingdom of God . . 69 



xii Contents 



PAGE 



How should the Christian be affected by the prospect of 

such oneness 71 

What God hath in store for those who love him 72 



vm 

THE INSPIRATION OF FAITH BY CHRIST 

How Christ inspired faith in God dwelling in and manifest 
through him : 

(1) By his evocation of certain announcements from 

on high 73 

(2) By his control over evil spirits 74 

Arguments against their existence, applicable 
also to angels 75 

(3) By his numerous miracles 76 

(4) By endowing his disciples with miraculous power, 76 

(5) By fulfilling in himself the prophecies respecting 

the Messiah 78 

(6) By illustrating in himself the beauty of holiness 

and by winning and inspiring love 85 

How he manifested his love 86 

The perfection of his love, and its outcome . . 89 

No one who has sinned could show such love . 89 
Inconstant love could never accomplish such 

results 89 

(7) By his constant teachings of the doctrine of love . 90 

(8) By his sacrificial death on the cross 94 

His sacrifice, the noblest evidence of human love, 94 

His prayer for his crucifiers 100 

God's surrender of him, the highest proof of 

the divine love 101 

Greek philosophy had long recognized to some extent the 

need of such a Redeemer 102 

Christ's sacrifice necessary to perfect his human example . 102 
His sacrificial death realized the supreme atonement typi- 
fied in the Jewish ritual 103 

The miraculous signs following this event, proofs of the 
divine presence and power 108 



Contents xiii 

PAGE 

The immediate effects of these events on Christ's disciples, 115 

The uplifting of their faith, a preparation for the descent 
of the Holy Spirit 116 

The crucifixion, needful to do away with dependence on 
Christ's human help 116 

Christ's sacrificial life and death, needful to show us that 
we have power to become true children of God .... 117 

Only by the above means could sinful men be lifted to 
triumphant faith in God 118 

Consequence of sinning willfully after receiving the knowl- 
edge of Christ 119 

Importance of Christ's resurrection, in the preaching of the 
apostles 119 

The certainty of his death and resurrection 119 

The influence of these events on the mind of St. Paul . . 120 



IX 

HARMONY OF THE FOREGOING VIEWS OF THE ATONE- 
MENT WITH SCRIPTURE TEACHINGS 

Consideration of various Scriptural teachings respecting 

Christ 122 

Christ's death, not an arbitrary arrangement for appeasing 

the wrath of the Deity 124 

Not a weak device for coercing his subjects into obedience 124 
A wise scheme of redemption through persuasive moral 

agencies 124 

Establishing, through Christ, the dominion of universal 

love 124 

Christ's sufferings, voluntarily endured to save sinful 

men 124 

God comforted his beloved Son by the aid of the Holy Spirit 

and by the ministration of angels 125 

No angelic ministrations to him on the cross 126 

The bitterness of his anguish on the cross, resulting from 

the withholding of divine interposition for his relief . . 126 
Christ received into everlasting glory 127 



xiv Contents 

X PAGE 

THE ATONEMENT HONORS THE LAW 

Is the foregoing view of the Atonement consistent with the 

assumption that God's law was honored thereby . . . 128 

Christ's declaration as to fulfillment of the law 128 

Inquiry as to the purpose of the law 128 

The fulfillment of the law, accordant with its ultimate 

purpose 130 

The law most effectually vindicated by securing voluntary 

obedience to it 132 

No feeling of bondage under the law, when realized that it 

is for the best 132 

The Atonement honors or vindicates the law by implanting 

it in the hearts of men 133 

A dominion of perfect love, established through moral 

agencies 133 

Jesus and Paul's teachings of the relation of love to the law, 133 
Results of the working of the Atonement through faith, 

love and obedience 134 

Shall we cease to deem the Atonement a mystery, and 

accept a simple view of it 134 



INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT 

The Atonement is recognized by all as the central 
theme of Christianity. 

In attempting a philosophic discussion of this theme, 
I shall consider at the outset — in a purely introduc- 
tory way — the nature and attributes of God, man's 
inherent relations to him and to other spiritual beings, 
and the cause of man's lapse into sin; for, without a 
clear understanding of these things, I believe it is 
impossible to discern by what moral process man can 
be redeemed. 



A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 



i 
the nature and attributes of god 

The existence of God may be inferred from the 
existence of the material universe; for the order of 
Nature and its subjection to law suggest at once the 
prior existence of a lawgiver and of an ordaining 
mind. 1 Matter, especially in its organic forms, pre- 
sents itself to our view as a result; and a result is 

1 Ps. XIX: 1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the 
firmament sheweth his handywork. 

Isa. XL: 21 Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath 
it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood 
from the foundations of the earth? 

22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the 
inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the 
heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in. 

Rom. I: 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven 
against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the 
truth in unrighteousness; 

19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in 
them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 

20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the 
world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are 
made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are with- 
out excuse. 



4 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

always indicative of a cause. Through Nature, there- 
fore, we trace back to what we term the great first 

CAUSE. 

And, since this Cause, so far as we can comprehend 
it, seems unmistakably to have the attributes of a 
living person, or to possess understanding, will and 
power to do — each of the highest order — moreover, 
since it appears even now to be operative in Nature, 
as its life-sustaining principle 2 and as a source from 
which we, ourselves, receive aid, — we are disposed 
to worship it as the supreme being and to appeal to 
this Being in prayer. 3 

Furthermore, as the Great First Cause, or Supreme 
Being, is recognized as immeasurably superior to our- 
selves and far beyond our ability fully to conceive or 
comprehend, we regard him as limitless in his powers 

2 Heb. I: 3 Who being the brightness of Ms glory, and the 
express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word 
of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on 
the right hand of the Majesty on high. 



3 Neh. IX: 6 Thou, even thou, art Lord alone; thou hast 
made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the 
earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is 
therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven 
worshippeth thee. 

32 Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the 
terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy, let not all the 
trouble seem little before thee, that hath come upon us, on our 
kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, 
and on our fathers, and on all thy people, since the time of the 
kings of Assyria unto this day. 



Nature and Attributes of God 5 

and capacities, and therefore ascribe to him infinite 
attributes. Viewing him as preceding all things else, 
we deem him uncreated, or self -existent; and, looking 
upon him as the source and sustainer of all that fol- 
lows — he, himself, being upheld by his own power 
— we believe him to be eternal, or without beginning 
of years or end of days. 

Considering the Deity's infinite attributes as neces- 
sarily involving omnipotence, omniscience and omni- 
presence, we regard him as one who is continually 
present everywhere, in all the fullness of his knowledge 
and power, or who is equally potent at all times and in 
every respect at all points in the universe. In a strict 
sense, therefore, we cannot — even speaking meta- 
phorically — say of him, as of a human person, that 
his head is here and his hands there; for in no way 
can we regard him as a being of parts. 

Moreover, since we cannot regard him as a being 
of parts, — and since we can conceive of him only as 
an intelligent active principle working in and through- 
out the universe, both animate and inanimate, in a 
manner similar, it may be, to that in which our own 
spirits (which are believed to be correspondingly 
immaterial) work in and through our bodies, — we 
deem him a purely spiritual being. 4 

It is impossible for us to identify matter with the 
divine essence — which is infinite in its character- 



4 Jn. IV: 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him 
must worship him in spirit and in truth. 



6 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

is ties, — for matter is subject to limitations, not only 
as respects extension but as regards all its properties 
and qualities. So far as known to us, matter has no 
existence, and never had any, except under certain 
fixed laws which appear to have been foreordained by 
an intelligent mind. Matter therefore has a begin- 
ning — or was a creation, as before indicated, — and 
although it may continue forever, it cannot be said of 
it — as of the Infinite — that it is " from everlasting 
to everlasting." 5 The laws or limitations, to which it 
is subject, enter into its very nature; and are essential 
to its fundamental properties, to the orderly arrange- 
ments of its substance, to its coherence and to its 
indestructible character. Hence we conclude that it is 
unwarrantable to presume, even in a hypothetical 
way, that matter could have existed, or may continue 
to exist, without these laws. Besides, matter has no 
creative power, such as is ascribed to the Deity. It 
may change in form and character; but science teaches 
that — taken as a whole, throughout the universe — 
it cannot add a particle to itself, and never has added 
to it from the beginning of its existence. Therefore 
we maintain that the essential qualities of matter 
and those of the Divine Spirit are wholly unlike; that 
neither can partake in the slightest degree of the 
other; and that matter never has formed, and never 
can form, any part of the essence of the Deity. 

5 Ps. XC: 2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or 
ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from ever- 
lasting to everlasting, thou art God. 



Nature and Attributes of God 7 

Accordingly we reject the creed of the Pantheist, 
that " God is all, and all is God." 6 

Yet the Divine Spirit — being all-pervasive and 
infinite in power — may, for aught we can perceive, 
enter into such vital relations with the body and soul 
of a human person as to be one therewith for certain 
ends and purposes — as, it is generally believed, was 
the case in the person of Christ on earth. 7 No reason- 
able objection to the practicability of such a union can 



6 Other effective arguments against Pantheism may be ad- 
duced; but, in the present discussion, they are deemed needless. 



7 Jn. X: 30 I and my Father are one. 

31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. 

32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you 
from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? 

33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone 
thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a 
man, makest thyself God. 

34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, 
Ye are gods? 

35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, 
and the Scripture cannot be broken; 

36 Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent 
into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son 
of God? 

37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. 

38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works; 
that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in 
him. 

Jn. XIV: 8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the 
Father, and it sufriceth us. 

9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, 
and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me 



8 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

be found in the presumption that the union would 
limit any of the attributes of the Almighty; for, not 
only may God be operative in and through the human 
person in as vital a way as the inborn soul is, but — 
by reason of his infinity — may, at the same time, 
transcend the human person immeasurably beyond 
what we can conceive. 8 



hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the 
Father? 

10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father 
in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself; 
but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. 

11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me: 
or else believe me for the very works' sake. 



8 Jn. XIV: 28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go 
away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, 
because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater 
than I. 

Mark XIII: 32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no 
man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, 
but the Father. 

Job XI: 7 Canst thou by searching find out God? canst 
thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? 

8 It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than 
hell; what canst thou know? 

9 The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader 
than the sea. 

Rom. XI: 33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom 
and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and 
his ways past finding out ! 

34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath 
been his counsellor? 

35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed 
unto him again? [See continuance, foot of next page.] 



Nature and Attributes of God 9 

Knowing all tilings, God must know what is best. 
Therefore he must be infinite in wisdom. 

Knowing what is best, it is logically inconceivable 
that God would not choose what is best. Hence he 
must be infinite in goodness, or in his loving character. 

It is true, we see much in Nature which seems harsh and 
cruel and that is a prolific cause of suffering : but, on careful 
consideration, we shall find, in most cases, that the suffering 
comes directly or indirectly from the violation of laws indis- 
pensable to the existence of finite beings or to the maintenance 
of such existence (see page 30 et seq.) — and, in others, shall be 
led to admit that, if we had a deeper insight, we probably 
should see that such suffering is unavoidable in the constitu- 
tion of a universe, the members of which are subject to limi- 
tations, and that it is essential to the greatest good of all. 

There can be but one infinite being in the universe: 
since he must be able to control all other beings; else 
his power would be limited, and he would be less than 
infinite. 

Logically it is impossible to conceive of the Infinite 
Being creating another like himself in spiritual essence 
and in iinlimited power, wisdom and goodness; since, 
to presume these things would involve the presump- 
tion of each of these beings — because of his infinity 
— dwelling in and throughout the other, and of each 
having full consciousness of all in the mind of the 

36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: 
to whom be glory for ever. Amen. 

I Cor. II: 11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, 
save the spirit of man which is in him ? even so the things of God 
knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 



10 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

other; moreover, it would involve the further pre- 
sumption that each — being perfect, and therefore 
the same in character and disposition as the other — 
would be the same in feelings, impulses and purposes; 
accordingly the attempted conception of the new 
Deity would be wholly merged in that of the original 
and only Deity, or the two would be identified in one. 
It is plain, therefore, that Polytheism — or the 
belief in more than one God who may be regarded as 
a sovereign ruler of the universe — is absurd. 



II 

MAN'S INHERENT RELATIONS TO HIS MAKER 
AND TO OTHER SPIRITUAL BEINGS 

Foremost among social earthly beings, man is en- 
dowed with a moral nature which brings him into the 
highest and most ennobling relations with his Creator 
and his fellow creatures. These relations bind him to 
the performance of certain duties; and entitle him, 
in consideration of their faithful discharge, to certain 
rights and privileges. 

That man may know his duties and understand the 
nature and grounds thereof, he has been favored, from 
the beginning, with inspiring revelations of the Deity, 
in his power, wisdom and goodness, as manifest 
through the works of Nature, thus making plain the 
paramount obligations of the creature to the Creator *; 
besides, he has been gifted with conscience and reason, 
has been taught by inspired messengers of God, has 

1 Rom. I: 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven 
against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the 
truth in unrighteousness; 

19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in 
them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 

20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the 
world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are 
made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are 
without excuse; 

ll 



12 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

been instructed through Jehovah's providential deal- 
ings with mankind, has been enlightened by the Holy 
Spirit in answer to prayer, 2 and finally has been 



21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not 
as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imagina- 
tions, and their foolish heart was darkened. 

22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. 

23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an 
image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted 
beasts, and creeping things. 

24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, through 
the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies be- 
tween themselves; 

25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped 
and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for 
ever. Amen. 



2 Jn. XIV: 15 If ye love me, keep my commandments. 

16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another 
Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 

17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, 
because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know 
him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 

26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the 
Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and 
bring all things tc your remembrance, whatsoever I have said 
unto you. 

Jn. XVI: 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient 
for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will 
not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 

8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of 
righteousness, and of judgment: 

9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 

10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me 
no more; 

11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. 



Marts Relations to God and Other Beings 13 

blessed with a living illustration of " the way, the 
truth and the life " in the person of Jesus Christ. 3 

12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear 
them now. 

13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide 
you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself ; but whatso- 
ever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you 
things to come. 

14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall 
shew it unto you. 

15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, 
that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you. 

Acts IV: 31 And when they had prayed, the place was 
shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all 
filled with the Holy Ghost and they spake the word of God with 
boldness. 

32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart 
and of one soul: neither said any of them that aught of the things 
which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. 

33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the 
resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon 
them all. 

Acts VIII: 14 Now when the apostles which were at 
Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, 
they sent unto them Peter and John: 

15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that 
they might receive the Holy Ghost: 

16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they 
were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) 

17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the 
Holy Ghost. 

3 Jn. XIV: 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, 
and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 

Mic. VI: 8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and 
what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love 
mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? 



14 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

Through all these agencies, God has appealed to 
man to perform his duties, or to live in loving relations 
with his Maker and his fellow creatures ; and to do 
what is right; moreover God has assured him that, in 
so doing, he will best contribute alike to the good of 
others and to that of himself. Yet, as a generous 
father, God has given to man freedom of choice, or 
has made him a free moral agent. 



Ill 

MAN'S SINFULNESS AND ITS ORIGIN 

Man, however, in the weakness of his finite nature, 
is often moved by selfish desires which lead him to 
resist the promptings of his higher intelligence, — and, 
becoming distrustful of the divine teachings and 
promises, to disregard the will of God, and by diso- 
bedient and sinful conduct, to displease his Maker and 
to bring evil upon himself and his fellow beings. 1 

But it may be said that God, in his infinite wisdom, 
must have foreknown these things. Therefore it may 
be asked: Why did not God guard against them; why 
did he make finite man a free moral agent, and thus 
allow him to fall into evil; would it not have been 
better, from the outset, to have constrained him to the 
right by the exercise of almighty power? 

Plainly, if God constrained men to do right, he would 
make of them mere puppets — actuated, morally, 
only by the will of a superior. Thus he would divest 
them of all responsibility. They would be no more 



1 Jas. I: 13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am 
tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither 
tempteth he any man : 

14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his 
own lust, and enticed. 

15 Then when lust has conceived, it bringeth forth sin; and 
sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. 

15 



16 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

accountable for their acts than would be the tools in 
the hands of a workman — or, in a moral sense, neither 
praiseworthy nor blamable. Distinctions of right and 
wrong, once recognized, would fade from their minds. 
Conscience would die out. They would know neither 
virtue nor vice. Slaves to the divine authority, — 
degraded in their relations to God and their fellow 
creatures, — they would be reduced to a level with 
the meanest of the brutes, almost to a plane with the 
vegetable kingdom. Knowing no different relations, 
either better or worse, men would experience in a 
moral way neither satisfaction nor dissatisfaction, 
love nor hate; they would have none of the deeper 
spiritual emotions — unmixed with sensual feeling — 
either of joy or sorrow, reverence or contempt, admira- 
tion or aversion, affection or repugnance. Indeed the 
gratification of their social natures would be reduced 
to mere coworking for the appeasing of their animal 
appetites. And, since nearly all human acts of a voli- 
tional character are such as may be determined in a 
selfish or unselfish way, it is evident that the personal 
ministrations of men — under compulsion to do right 
— to even the simplest of their bodily wants would be 
largely subject to the control of a superior being, and 
hence would be in good part automatic. In fact, under 
such control, there would be little reason, so far as 
we can perceive, for the continuance of man's spiritual 
being, or of that which is believed to live beyond the 
grave; since he would have no capacity for the exalted 
enjoyments of the future state — not even for love 



Man's Sinfulness and Its Origin 17 

or the appreciation of love, the noblest and most satis- 
fying emotions of the human soul. Love unites us in 
the sweetest concord. Love is needful to the satisfac- 
tion of both the divine nature and the human. Love 
is the consummation of all blessed things. What God 
wants is universal love. To dwell in love is to dwell 
in God. 2 

Is it possible, then, that man would prefer to be 
deprived of his free moral agency, and to suffer such 
degradation as would take from him the noblest ele- 
ments of human character, — that he would be will- 
ingly stripped of that which lifts him to the highest 
plane of being and which makes him most godlike, 
that opens the way to joys unspeakable, 3 and that 
above all else makes eternal life desirable? Or rather 
would he not choose to come into harmonious relations 
with God, — seeking help from the Infinite, in a 
humble and trustful way, hoping through a divine 
faith, struggling manfully against his own selfishness, 
cheered and strengthened by the prospect of an ines- 
timable reward, and trying to obey the unavoidable, 
the indispensable, laws of his being? 



2 1 Jn. IV: 16 And we have known and believed the love 
that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love 
dwelleth in God, and God in him. 

19 We love him, because he first loved us. 



3 1 Cor. II: 9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor 
ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things 
which God hath prepared for them that love him. 



18 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

As an inducement to such effort, God has opened a 
way by which man may be brought into right relations 
with his Creator and his fellow creatures. This way — 
glorious beyond expression — is through the atone- 
ment by our Lord Jesus Christ. 



IV 

THE ATONEMENT A MEANS OF REDEMPTION 
THROUGH RECONCILIATION TO GOD 

The word " atonement " occurs but once in the 
common English version of the New Testament. The 
Greek word, /caTaWayrj (katallagee) , from which it is 
translated, is rendered " atonement " only in Romans 
v, ll 1 ; elsewhere it is translated " reconciliation.' ' 
The verb, KaraWda-a-a) (katallasso) , used in connection 
with it, and of the same origin, is uniformly translated 
" reconcile. " Atonement and reconciliation, in the 
New Testament, therefore, are synonymous. The 
word reconciliation means literally a bringing to- 
gether again; and accordingly a restoral to union or 
to concord and harmony. Hence atonement is some- 
times spoken of as at-one-ment — a phrase precisely 
expressive of its primary meaning. 

Sinners are regarded as at enmity with God. 2 God, 

1 Rom. V: 11 And not only so, but we also joy in God, 
through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received 
the atonement. 

2 Jas. IV: 4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not 
that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever 
therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. 

Rom. V: 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were recon- 
ciled to God, by the death of his Son; much more, being recon- 
ciled, we shall be saved by his life. 

19 



20 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

on the contrary, is represented as cherishing love 
toward sinners, and seeking to overcome their enmity 
and draw them unto himself. 3 But while they continue 

Col. I: 21 And you, that were sometime alienated and 
enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he recon- 
ciled. 



3 Rom. V: 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in 
that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 

I Jn. Ill: 16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because 
he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives 
for the brethren. 

I Jn. IV: 9 In this was manifested the love of God toward 
us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, 
that we might live through him. 

10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, 
and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 

Eph. II: 4 But God, who is rich in mercy for his great love 
wherewith he loved us, 

5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together 
with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 

6 And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in 
heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 

7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding 
riches of his grace, in his kindness toward us, through Christ 
Jesus. 

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of 
yourselves: it is the gift of God: 

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto 
good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk 
in them. 

Rom. X: 21 But to Israel he saith, All day long I have 
stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying 
people. 

Jn. VI: 41 The Jews then murmured at him, because he 
said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. 



Redemption through Reconciliation to God 21 

to disobey him, there is a state of mutual opposition: 
on the one side, sinful men opposing the Deity in his 
efforts by moral means for the redemption of the race; 
on the other, the Deity opposing them, chiefly by 
moral means, in their efforts — more or less blindly 
directed — to do what brings evil on themselves and 
suffering and sorrow on their fellow creatures, and 
which grieves their Heavenly Father. 4 Accordingly 
there can be no fellowship between God and his erring 
creatures until a reconciliation between them has been 
effected. 

God is ever disposed to such reconciliation, in the 
sense that he is ever willing that sinners — whatever 
may have been their opposition to him — should come 
into harmony and cooperation with himself in carrying 

42 And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose 
father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came 
down from heaven? 

43 Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not 
among yourselves. 

44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent 
me draw him : and I will raise him up at the last day. 

Jn. XII: 32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw 
all men unto me. 

33 This he said signifying what death he should die. 



4 Gen. VI: 5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was 
great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of 
his heart was only evil continually. 

6 And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the 
earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 

Eph. IV: 30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby 
ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 



22 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

out his all-wise plans for their own good and the good 
of others. But there can be no just reconciliation 
between them until the sinners, themselves, consent 
to such harmonv: for reconciliation without it would 

V 7 

require undesirable concessions on the part of the 
Deity, or a yielding of the better for the worse. The 
Bible, therefore, speaks often of sinners becoming 
reconciled to God — in his infinite goodness, — but 
never of God becoming reconciled to them — in their 
wickedness. Paul says, in II Corinthians v, 20, " We 
pray you, in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God "; 
and, in the 18th verse of the same chapter, " All things 
are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus 
Christ "; and in Colossians i, 19, 20, " For it pleased 
the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; and, 
having made peace through the blood of his cross, by 
him to reconcile all things unto himself." 



V 

FORGIVENESS, REWARDS AND PUNISHMENTS 

When we become reconciled to God, he receives us 
into his good pleasure and forgives our sins, — thus 
showing the recognition, on his part, of the reconcilia- 
tion. But there is no change to a greater good will in 
God's fixed purpose toward us which was established 
from the beginning : for God is immutable as respects 
his cherished or ultimate purposes; since they are 
always in accord with the highest wisdom and good- 
ness. Yet he is not an insensible or impassive deity. 
He has declared, " I am the Lord, I change not." * 
He is " the same, yesterday, today, and forever." 2 
With him, there is "no variableness, neither shadow 
of turning." 3 He loves sinners, however, in the 
sense of desiring their good, not less than the 
righteous; for God is love 4 and his mercy endureth 

1 Mal. Ill: 6 For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore 
ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. 



2 Heb. XIII: 8 Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and to day, 
and for ever. 



3 Jas. I: 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from 
above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is 
no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 



4 1 Jn. IV: 8 He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for 
God is love. 

23 



24 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

forever. 5 Yet the Bible tells us that he is offended 
with his rebellious children, 6 and is pleased with them 
when they repent/ — thus showing that, towards the 
same persons, he is susceptible of opposite feelings, 
if not of contrary dispositions as respects the end 
he has in view. 

When we repent and become reconciled to God, we 
simply change our attitude toward him, — and accept 
the favor he has continually proffered to us on the 

5 PsrCXXXVIII: 8 The Lord will perfect that which con- 
cerneth me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: forsake not 
the works of thine own hands. 



6 Rom. IV : 24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, 
if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead ; 

25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again 
for our justification. 

Rom. V: 17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by 
one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of 
the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. 

18 Therefore, as by the offence of one judgment came upon all 
men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the 
free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. 

19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, 
so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. 

20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. 
But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. 

Ps. VII: 11 God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry 
with the wicked every day. 



7 Lk. XV: 7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in 
heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and 
nine just persons, which need no repentance. 

10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the 
angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. 



Forgiveness, Rewards and Punishments 25 

condition (which, in the very nature of things, is indi- 
spensable) that we are willing to conform to his all- 
wise plans for our good. Thus, having placed ourselves 
on his side and in harmony with him, we receive his 
forgiveness, or become the immediate objects of his 
pleasure. Our sins are no more remembered to our 
condemnation. As respects his regard for us in the ex- 
ercise of his gracious providence, our sins are " cov- 
ered," 8 they are " hidden," 9 they are " blotted out ," 10 



8 Ps. XXXII: 1 Blessed is he whose transgression is for- 
given, whose sin is covered. 

Ps. LXXXV: 1 Lord, thou hast been favourable unto thy 
land: thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob. 

2 Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people; thou hast 
covered all their sin. 

Rom. IV: 6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness 
of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without 
works, 

7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and 
whose sins are covered. 

I Pet. IV: 8 And above all things have fervent charity 
among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. 



• Jas. V: 20 Let him know, that he which converteth the 
sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and 
shall hide a multitude of sins. 



10 Ps. LI: 1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy 
loving kindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender 
mercies blot out my transgressions. 

9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. 

Acts III: 19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that 
your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall 
come from the presence of the Lord. 



26 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

they are " purged/' u they are " washed away." 12 He 
has promised us : " Though your sins be as scarlet, they 
shall be white as snow; though they be red like crim- 
son, they shall be as wool." 13 

By the divine forgiveness, we are admitted to fel- 
lowship with the Deity — especially as manifested in 
Christ, — to the communion of the saints, — to com- 
panionship with the angels, and to the innumerable 
joys of heaven, — in short, to all the bliss of which 



11 Heb. I: 3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the 
express image of his person, and upholding all things by the 
word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat 
down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. 

II Pet. I: 9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and 
cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from 
his old sins. 



12 Acts XXII: 16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and 
be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the 
Lord. 

Rev. I: 5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, 
and the first-begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of 
the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins 
in his own blood. 



13 Isa. I: 16 Wash ye, make you clean; put away the evil of 
your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; 

17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, 
judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. 

18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: 
though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; 
though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. 



Forgiveness, Rewards and Punishments 27 

our spiritual natures, in the light of the heavenly 
abode, are capable. 14 

But, since our capacities for spiritual enjoyments 
have been restricted in their growth by sinful habits, — 
and since each of us, therefore, in the future life, will 
be more or less exalted, according to the character he 
has developed, so that — then, even as now — there 
will be those who are great in the kingdom of heaven 
and those who are least, 15 — moreover, since we shall 
realize that our past misdeeds have delayed the con- 
summation of the divine plan, and may still be delay- 

14 1 Cor. I: 9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto 
the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. 

I Jn. I: 3 That which we have seen and heard declare we 
unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly 
our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 

Rev. Ill: 21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with 
me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with 
my Father in his throne. 

Ps. XVI: 11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy 
presence is fulness of joy ; at thy right hand there are pleasures for 
evermore. 

Mat. XIII: 43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the 
sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let 
him hear. 

II Cor. V: 10 For we must all appear before the judgment 
seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his 
body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. 



15 Mat. V: 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these 
least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called 
the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and 
teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of 
heaven. 



28 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

ing it, — and since the memory of the grief we have 
caused our Heavenly Father and of the sufferings we 
have brought on our fellow creatures doubtless will 
linger with us to some extent, although our minds 
may be largely diverted from the thought of these 
things by our unequaled delight in the consciousness 
that we have been fully forgiven and that, in the end, 
even our past misconduct will result to the glory of 
God by calling forth the highest manifestations of his 
love and the noblest proofs of its transforming power, 16 
— we all shall experience, even in the heavenly abode, 
certain privations of happiness which otherwise we 
might have enjoyed. And such will be the fact; 



16 Rom. Ill: 5 But if our unrighteousness commend the 
righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous 
who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man) 

6 God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world? 

7 For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie 
unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner? 

8 And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some 
affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose 
damnation is just. 

Rom. V: 18 Therefore, as by the offence of one judgment 
came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness 
of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. 

19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, 
so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. 

Rom. VI: 1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in 
sin, that grace may abound? 

2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any 
longer therein? 

Ps. LXXVI: 10 Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee; 
the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain. 



Forgiveness, Rewards and Punishments 29 

notwithstanding we may be fully conscious of the 
effectiveness of Christ's atoning work for the ultimate 
spiritual purification of mankind, and so may rejoice 
in the wonderful sufficiency of the plan of salvation. 
Thus even the redeemed on high, although con- 
sciously in the presence of their Heavenly Father and 
in the enjoyment of his unspeakable glories, will endure 
a kind of negative punishment, being recompensed ac- 
cording to their deeds. Every one will " receive the 
things done in his body, according to that he hath 
done, whether it be good or bad." 17 " For whatsoever 
a man soweth, that shall he also reap." 18 

But will the full penalty — or, otherwise, the 
natural and apparently just consequence of the respec- 
tive transgressions of each — be visited upon the 
redeemed? Clearly to my mind, it will not. Else 
there would be no forgiveness, no divine grace. 

Has the penalty, then, been dispensed with or 
abolished? No! So far as each one ever has been or 
ever can be, relieved of it by the redemptive work of 
Christ, it has been borne by our Saviour. But how 
has he borne it? How, without unjust authority, 
can the penalty due to the transgressions of one be 
transferred, in any measure, to another? We can 



17 II Cor. V: 10 For we must all appear before the judgment 
seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his 
body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. 



18 Gal. VI: 7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for 
whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 



30 A Laywer's Brief on the Atonement 

better understand this, after considering some other 
matters. 19 

First let us inquire, What is the nature of the 
penalty for sin, and how far does it extend? Is this 
penalty an arbitrary infliction of divine vengeance for 
the sake of satisfying the divine wrath; or is it only 
such infliction as is needful for human correction and 
is in good part the natural result of the failure to com- 
ply with God's laws for the regulation of an organic 
universe — a failure whereby the organic parts are 
deranged, one clashing with another in destructive 
conflict, or some of the parts refusing to perform their 
office and leaving others without the needful coopera- 
tion? Is it not chiefly in the latter ways that the 
penalty comes — being the natural and inevitable 
consequence of disorder, causing the web of life to be 
flawed and disfigured, or filled with knotted and 
tangled threads, and so preserving little or nothing 
of the symmetry of the divine pattern? 

Obviously it is as impossible for organic and finite 
beings to violate the laws of their social and moral 
organisms, and still preserve harmonious relations and 
continue working together in such a manner as will 
lead to the most desirable end, as for an engine that 
has been thrown out of gear, or has had one of its 
parts broken so it is incapable of proper service, to 

19 For a discussion of how Jesus Christ suffered, in a good 
measure, the penalty of our transgressions, see page 86, para- 
graph 2; pages 94-100; page 102, paragraph 3, to end of 
page 134. 



Forgiveness, Rewards and Punishments 31 

perform the office for which it was designed. The 
soul which forsakes the path of virtue — the only 
path in which its Maker fitted it to move — or that 
runs counter to another soul with which it was never 
meant to conflict, is not less certain of ruinous disaster 
than is the locomotive which leaves the track and 
plunges into a destructive abyss, or which takes the 
wrong track and dashes into an opposing locomotive. 
The wreck in the one case is no more the result of 
arbitrary penalty, intended by the builder for his own 
satisfaction, than in the other. It is due simply to 
the fact that each individual soul is finite, or is 
limited in its capacities and adaptations, being fitted 
to move only in a certain path, or subject to certain 
conditions and laws, and that any violation of its 
limitations, however brief, must necessarily prove 
disastrous; and that so long as it continues such 
violation, even if it goes on through all eternity, there 
can be no relief for it, without a suspension or over- 
ruling of the laws of its being, until it returns to its 
proper course, or keeps within its finite limitations and 
conforms to the laws established for the universal 
good. 

A wise regulation of that which is finite must have 
regard to its relations to other things finite; so that 
each may rightly perform its own office, and may 
avoid disastrous conflicts. If a finite thing is gifted 
with intelligence to direct its own conduct, and is 
allowed freedom of choice, it may well be left to 
suffer the natural results of its intentional wrong- 



32 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

doing, until it turns aside from evil; so as to keep it 
mindful of the unavoidable harm which comes of 
transgressing the laws of its being. It is thus, and 
thus only, that an efficient moral government can be 
maintained (see page 128, paragraph 2). 

Sin therefore consists in willful disobedience to the 
laws of God, either by acting in opposition to them 
or by neglecting to comply with them. 

But does God never inflict punishments other than 
such as the offenses bring on themselves? It must be 
admitted that sometimes he does. Many instances 
of this kind are recorded in the Bible, which are clearly 
set forth as special providences; for example, the 
plagues of Egypt, the destruction, by divine authority, 
of the corrupt Canaanites, the visitation with sudden 
death of Ananias and Sapphira, — the smiting of 
Elymas the sorcerer with blindness. But, rightly 
viewed, it will be seen that we are by no means justi- 
fied in pronouncing these punishments acts of ill will. 
Rather are we warranted in declaring them to be 
acts of mercy, whereby the evil-doers were suddenly 
brought to a halt in filling out lives of abominable 
wickedness — thus bringing harm upon themselves — 
and so made to present a warning example to others, 20 
— and whereby also they were compelled, either living 

20 1 Cor. X: 5 But with many of them God was not well 
pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. 

6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should 
not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 

7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is 



Forgiveness, Rewards and Punishments 33 

or dying, to recognize in some measure an overruling 
Providence and yield to his requirements. 21 It is 
true that, in such cases, the victims suffered — some- 
times even unto death. But the suffering must be 
regarded as essentially disciplinary, — or as neces- 
sarily involved in the prevention of more lasting or 
painful suffering such as would result from continuing, 
unchecked, in a course of evil, — and as being 
probably no greater than was needful for the desired 
end, 22 and was inevitably attendant upon the correc- 



written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to 
play. 

8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them com- 
mitted, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. 

9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, 
and were destroyed of serpents. 

10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and 
were destroyed of the destroyer. 

11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: 
and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends 
of the world are come. 



21 Ex. VII: 4 But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that 
I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, 
and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by 
great judgments. 

5 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I 
stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children 
of Israel from among them. 



22 Mark IX: 43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it 
is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands 
to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 

44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 



34 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

tive means employed. It may be viewed, therefore, 
in the same light as the suffering inflicted by a kind 
earthly father for the wholesome correction of his 
wayward child, toward whom he desires nothing so 
much as its uninterrupted happiness, and the mode 
of whose punishment therefore is wisely chosen, not 
only as the most suitable, but the mildest, that will 
suffice for the purpose which he has at heart. 

But what shall we say as to the infliction of God's 
punishments, when death ensues? It should be re- 
membered that death is not the " end-all " of the 
human creature. If God, in his infinite foresight, 
perceives that either individuals or nations are only 
living on through years or centuries, to fill up the 
measure of their iniquities — thereby bringing greater 
guilt and wretchedness upon themselves and greater 
misery upon their fellow creatures, — is it not better 
that he should cut them off in the midst of their sinful 
career, seeing that they are to be judged according to 
the deeds done in the body? 23 Shall we, then, with 



45 And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee 
to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, 
into the fire that never shall be quenched: 

46 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 

47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for 
thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having 
two eyes to be cast into hell fire: 

48 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 



23 II Cor. V: 10 For we must all appear before the judg- 
ment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done 



Forgiveness, Rewards and Punishments 35 

our limited foresight, question God's all-wise provi- 
dence; or shall we say how long evil-doers should be 
spared and when they should be brought to account? 24 



in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or 
bad. 



24 Rom. IX: 14 What shall we say then? Is there unright- 
eousness with God? God forbid. 

15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will 
have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have 
compassion. 

16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that 
runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. 

17 For the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same 
purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in 
thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the 
earth. 

18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and 
whom he will he hardeneth. 

19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? 
For who hath resisted his will? 

20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? 
Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou 
made me thus? 

21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump 
to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? 

22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his 
power known, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of 
wrath fitted to destruction: 

23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on 
the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, 

24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but 
also of the Gentiles? 

25 As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which 
were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. 

26 And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was 



36 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

God knows best when our earthly probation should be 
ended. 

Sometimes, however, it is even questioned whether 
the Almighty ever exercises any special providences; 
notwithstanding they seem to be plainly asserted in 
the Bible : or whether he ever takes part in the affairs 
of this world, except through the operation of his 
well-known laws. But, if it be maintained that he 
does not, then it may be asked : What encouragement 
do we have for prayer to him, or what reason to hope 
that he will be in the least moved thereby? Do we 

said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called 
the children of the living God. 

27 Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of 
the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be 
saved: 

28 For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: 
because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth. 

Rom. XIV: 7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man 
dieth to himself. 

8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether 
we die, we die unto the Lord; whether we live therefore, or die, 
we are the Lord's. 

9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that 
he might be Lord both of the dead and living. 

Rom. XI: 33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom 
and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and 
his ways past finding out! 

34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath 
been his counsellor? 

35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed 
unto him again? 

36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things; 
to whom be glory for ever. Amen. 



Forgiveness, Rewards and Punishments 37 

imagine that he has created a moral universe, in which 
he has left ample freedom for his creatures and none 
for himself, even as respects his choice thereafter of 
desirable modes of action in his relations to them; 
that he has permitted us, if we choose, to transgress 
his laws, and yet has left to himself no privilege of 
interposing in our behalf, or of selecting the manner 
and means of coming to our relief when we cry to him 
in our distress? Reverently speaking, can we conceive 
of the Divine Being as a mere automaton who is 
moved in his relations to ourselves only as the strings 
of his everlasting providence are inadvertently pulled 
by us, in our wanderings, with little or no thought of 
him as a loving Father? 

That God is our Father, who always loves us, and 
that we are related to him as children whose love he 
earnestly desires, and by whose appeals he will be 
quickly stirred, is a conviction so deeply implanted in 
the human heart that it is ineradicable. 25 

25 Mat. VI: 9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our 
Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 

10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in 
heaven. 

11 Give us this day our daily bread. 

12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: 
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. 
Amen. 

14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly 
Father will also forgive you: 

15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will 
your Father forgive your trespasses. 



38 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

Yet it may be asked: What is meant in the Scrip- 
tures by God's indignation, anger, wrath and dispo- 
sition to be avenged on us, if they are not such feelings 
as men commonly experience when they grow resent- 
ful or seek vengeance on their foes? It may be 
answered: God's feelings of this nature, however 
intense, are always tempered by his infinite love; 
and hence, whatever may be his displeasure, he is 
without a desire to inflict needless pain, or greater 
suffering than necessarily attends his all-wise provi- 
dence, or results from a breach of organic law and is 
unavoidable for the proper maintenance of a moral 
universe. 

Of the judgment of this world and the severance of 
the wicked from among the just, I refrain from speak- 
ing particularly in the present discussion. 26 But I can- 



26 Mat. XIII: 40 As therefore the tares are gathered and 
burned in the fire ; so shall it be in the end of this world. 

41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall 
gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which 
do iniquity; 

42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire; there shall be 
wailing and gnashing of teeth. 

47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was 
cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: 

48 Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, 
and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. 

49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come 
forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, 

50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be 
wailing and gnashing of teeth. 

II Pet. Ill: 7 But the heavens and the earth, which are 



Forgiveness, Rewards and Punishments 39 

not forbear to remark : It is plain the just can enjoy 
no true and lasting peace while continuing in familiar 
companionship with the wicked and subject to their 
vexations, as in this life; furthermore that the wicked, 
so long as they resist the appeals of divine love and 
persevere in wrongdoing, must of necessity remain 
in a state of wretchedness, and that this wretchedness 
cannot fail to be intensified by separation from the 
righteous and by increased companionship among 
themselves. Yet, plainly as these facts appear, it is 
evident they afford no good ground for calling in 
question the fullness of God's mercy and its ample 
manifestation not only here, but — so far as is 
morally possible — hereafter, notwithstanding the 
scantiness of the revelation about the future state. 



now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire 
against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 



VI 
THE MORAL CORRECTIVE OF SIN 

Returning to the consideration of sin, it may be 
observed that it originates unmistakably in a want of 
faith, or trust, in God; that is, in a feeling that we can 
best promote our happiness in some other way than 
by obedience to his laws — laws inevitable in the very 
constitution of our being, since we are necessarily 
finite creatures, subject to limitations, and related to 
each other in society. 

The sin of our first parents, we are told, sprang from 
a want of faith in their Creator. God said, " In the 
day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die." The 
serpent said, " Ye shall not surely die." 

Whatever view may be taken of the early history of man- 
kind — whether the story of the temptation and fall of our 
first parents in Eden be regarded as veritable history or 
instructive allegory, or whether the moral development of the 
race be deemed purely evolutionary, — if it is believed that, 
in the spiritual childhood of the race, God revealed himself to 
man, in his divine and eternally established relations with 
him, sufficiently for man's assurance and guidance, and has so 
continued to reveal himself, as the apostle Paul maintains, 1 
then it must be admitted that want of trust in God lies at 

1 Rom. I: 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven 
against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the 
truth in unrighteousness; 

40 



The Moral Corrective of Sin 41 

the root of all sin (see pages 3 and 4, and pages 15, 16 and 
17) and that sinful dispositions can be overcome only by the 
renewal or the permanent establishment of trust. "The just 
shall live by faith." 2 

If faith in moral and religious truths were as domi- 
nant in our minds as faith in the laws of Nature — or, 
in other words, if our conviction that God will reward 
obedience and punish disobedience, or that good will 
come of the one and evil of the other — were as com- 
plete and abiding as the conviction that food will 
appease hunger, water slake thirst, fire burn and 
unsupported bodies fall to the ground, we should 

19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in 
them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 

20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the 
world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are 
made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are 
without excuse: 

21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not 
as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imagina- 
tions, and their foolish heart was darkened. 

22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 

23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an 
image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted 
beasts, and creeping things. 

24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, through 
the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies 
between themselves: 

25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped 
and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for 
ever. Amen. 



2 Heb. X: 38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any 
man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 



42 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

always strive to obey God's moral laws as well as 
his physical, and thus shun the miseries which follow 
disobedience. 

Faith is something more than simple belief. It 
includes a drawing or binding of us to that in which 
we believe. Hence it involves the idea of trust, or 
committing ourselves to a course of conduct in accord- 
ance with our belief. There may be belief without 
trust. So the apostle James says, " The devils also 
believe and tremble." 3 

Faith, so far as it involves trust, is frequently inter- 
mittent in its practical working. It prevails while 
we have a lively anticipation or vivid consciousness of 
the reality of that in which we believe; but ceases 
when we fail, even for a moment, to have such an 
anticipation or consciousness as is needful for our 
restraint and guidance. The absence of these essen- 
tials of a controlling faith is due largely to allowing 
our minds to become engrossed with worldly con- 
cerns or to be wrought upon by sinful lusts, particu- 
larly when induced by evil habits. 4 



3 Jas. Ill: 19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou 
doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 



4 Mat. IV: 8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceed- 
ing high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the 
world, and the glory of them; 

9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou 
wilt fall down and worship me. 

Mat. XIII : 22 He also that received seed among the thorns 
is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and 



The Moral Corrective of Sin 43 

Accordingly we may have a faith which, so long as 
it affects us in a decisive way, prompts to righteous- 
ness; and which, although weak, may be sufficient, 
with the aid of the Holy Spirit in quickening it and 
bringing Christ's teachings to remembrance, to lead 
us unto salvation. 5 Yet, since it is plain that it may 
not be at all times equally active or potent, it may not 
always keep us from sin. Even Paul's faith, long 

the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh 
unfruitful. 

Jas. I: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn 
away of his own lust, and enticed. 



5 Rom. XIV: 1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, 
but not to doubtful disputations. 

2 For one belie veth that he may eat all things: another, who 
is weak, eateth herbs. 

3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and 
let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath 
received him. 

4 Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his 
own master he standeth or falleth; yea, he shall be holden up: 
for God is able to make him stand. 

Jn. XIV: 26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, 
whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all 
things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I 
have said unto you. 

Jn. XV: 26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will 
send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which 
proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me. 

Jn. XVI: 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient 
for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will 
not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 

8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of 
righteousness, and of judgment. 



44 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

after he became one of the foremost of the apostles, 
so far as it had a controlling influence through trust, 
was somewhat intermittent, or was occasionally sub- 
verted through the power of sinful lusts working 
within him according to the law of perverse habit. 
He therefore said (Rom. vii, 21-25) : "I find then a 
law that, when I would do good, evil is present with 
me. For I delight in the law of God, after the inward 
man : but I see another law in my members, warring 
against the law of my mind and bringing me into 
captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 
Oh, wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me 
from the body of this death? I thank God, through 
Jesus Christ our Lord," — that is, he thanks God for 
his hope of deliverance through faith in Christ and by 
the power of the Holy Spirit whom Christ promised 
to send to his followers. 6 

The conviction of the apostles that faith in God 
would enable them to perform whatever was required 
at their hands prompted them, when the Saviour 
prescribed a duty which they felt was beyond their 
strength, to pray, " Lord increase our faith "; and to 
this, Jesus answered, "If ye had faith as a grain of 
mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree 
be thou plucked up by the root and be thou planted 
in the sea, and it should obey you " (Lk. xvii, 6). 

Christ taught his disciples that, whatever they 

6 Jn. XV: 26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will 
send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which 
proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me. 



The Moral Corrective of Sin 45 

would ask in faith, they should receive. 7 Undoubt- 
edly he meant that the faith they were to exercise 
should be, not simply faith in the granting of their 
request, but faith in him who would have the power 
to grant it, and who would be willing to do so if it were 

7 Mat. XXI: 18 Now in the morning, as he returned into 
the city, he hungered. 

19 And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and 
found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no 
fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig 
tree withered away. 

20 And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, 
How soon is the fig tree withered away ! 

21 Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, 
If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which 
is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, 
Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. 

22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, 
ye shall receive. 

Mark XI: 22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have 
faith in God. 

23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto 
this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; 
and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those 
things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatso- 
ever he saith. 

24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, 
when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have 
them. 

Jn. XV: 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye 
shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 

Jn. XIV: 12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that be- 
lieveth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater 
works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. 

13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, 
that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 



46 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

made in a right spirit. Their faith must rest in a 
Being, infinite in knowledge as well as in power; one 
who, knowing all things, knows what is best and in- 
stinctively chooses it, and who is infinite in wisdom, 
justice, mercy and love (see page 9, paragraphs 1 
and 2). 

But faith in such a Being must of necessity be ac- 
companied with recognition, by the suppliants, of 
their own inferior wisdom and judgment, and there- 
fore with a willingness to yield their views to his as to 
what is best, or is for the good of all, and hence must 
be attended with a wish to uphold his all-wise provi- 
dence. Accordingly prayer to God, in the fullness of 
faith, must always be qualified inwardly by a desire 
that his will, as expressing the wisest choice, shall 
prevail over any petitions of the suppliant, however 
uttered, which are prompted by false notions or 
personal selfishness. 8 Faithful prayer must always 
include the request, either expressed or implied, that 
was contained in Christ's own prayer, " nevertheless, 
not what I will, but what thou wilt " (Mark xiv, 36). 
It must be animated with the feeling and the disposi- 
tion shown when we say, God knows best, God's will 
be done! Without the spirit thus evinced as the 
product of genuine faith, there is no true prayer. 
But, with it, whatever may be asked, we are assured, 
will be granted; for Christ said, " All things whatso- 



8 Mat. VI: 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in 
earth, as it is in heaven. 



The Moral Corrective of Sin 47 

ever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive " 
(Mat. xxi, 22). 

Our attainments in righteousness, or in holiness of 
character, are measured by our faith. In Romans 
xii, 3, Paul exhorts every man " not to think of him- 
self more highly than he ought to think ; but to think 
soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the 
measure of faith " : that is, every man should esteem 
himself according to his faith; for, by that, he is 
measured in the divine esteem, and according to that 
is the power given to him by the Holy Spirit. 9 The 
martyr Stephen, who was distinguished for his holi- 
ness, is spoken of as "a man full of faith." 10 So 
Barnabas, Paul's co-laborer, is likewise spoken of as 
" a good man, full of faith." " 

9 Jas. I: 5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, 
that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall 
be given him. 

6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering: for he that 
wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and 
tossed. 

7 For let not that man think that he shall receive anything 
of the Lord. 

10 Acts VI: 5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: 
and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy 
Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, 
and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch. 

8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and 
miracles among the people. 

11 Acts XI: 22 Then tidings of these things came unto the 
ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth 
Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch. 



48 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

The weakness of Christ's disciples and their concern 
about worldly affairs — the devotion to which so often 
leads men to forget their obligations and to fall into 
sin — was repeatedly attributed by him to the small- 
ness or feebleness of their faith. More than once, in 
addressing them, he exclaimed, "0 ye of little 
faith! " When his disciples asked him why they were 
unable — while he was in the mount of transfiguration 
— to cast out the evil spirit from a demoniac boy, he 
answered, " Because of your unbelief." 12 » 13 

We read, in various parts of the New Testament, of 
the purification of the heart by faith, 14 of " the right- 
eousness which is of God by faith," 15 of faith being 

23 Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was 
glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they 
would cleave unto the Lord. 

24 For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost, and of 
faith: and much people was added unto the Lord. 

12 The Revised Version reads, " Because of your little faith." 



13 Mat. XVII: 19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, 
and said, Why could not we cast him out? 

20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for 
verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, 
ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; 
and it shall remove: and nothing shall be impossible unto you. 



14 Acts XV: 8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare 
them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto 
us; 

9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their 
hearts by faith. 



15 Phil. Ill: 9 And be found in him, not having mine own 



The Moral Corrective of Sin 49 



u 



counted for righteousness/ ' 16 of being " justified 
by faith," 17 of being " sanctified by faith," 18 and of 
being " saved through faith." 19 

If then, it was the want of faith in God and in the 
excellence of his requirements which caused our first 
parents to fall into sin, — moreover if it is a like want 
of faith which causes the world to continue in sin, — 
and again if, on the other hand, we are brought to 
righteousness by faith, justified by faith, sanctified by 
faith, and saved through faith, ought we not to inquire 



righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the 
faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. 



16 Rom. IV: 5 But to him that worketh not, but belie veth 
on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for right- 
eousness. 



17 Rom. V: 1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have 
peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Gal. II: 16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the 
works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have 
believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of 
Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the 
law shall no flesh be justified. 

Gal. Ill: 24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to 
bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 



18 Acts XXVI: 18 To open their eyes, and turn them from 
darkness to light, and from ohe power of Satan unto God, that 
they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among 
them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. 



19 Eph. II: 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and 
that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. 



50 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

earnestly, Can mankind be restored to such a degree 
of faith (or, if you please, be brought for the first time 
to such a degree of faith) as is necessary for the 
spiritual redemption of the world? Obviously there 
is but one answer to this question; since, with God, all 
things are possible. 20 



20 Mat. XIX: 23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily 
I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the king- 
dom of heaven. 

24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go 
through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into 
the kingdom of God. 

25 When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, 
saying, Who then can be saved? 

26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this 
is impossible; but with God all things are possible. 



vn 

THE DIVINE WAY OF ESTABLISHING FAITH 

It is plain that an active abiding faith in God, 
beyond what existed for a long time before Christ's 
coming, could be established by moral means — or 
without the subversion of man's moral freedom — in but 
one way: namely, through a new and more impres- 
sive revelation of god in his relations to man — a 
revelation of God, clearly comprehensible to the 
human mind, one that would show forth effectually 
his love for us and his willingness to help us in answer 
to prayer, and that would touch the hearts of men 
with a vitalizing influence which, with the aid of the 
Holy Spirit, would suffice for their purification and 
sanctification. Such a revelation was needful to bring 
to the human mind a perfect conviction of the exis- 
tence of God and of the excellence of his attributes and 
that he is, in the highest degree, worthy of our con- 
fidence, love and worship — and thus to establish an 
everlasting faith. 

This revelation, it is believed, was practicable in 
and through Jesus Christ, who, we are told, united in 
himself a divine nature and a human. On the divine 
side, it is declared, he was " God manifest in the 

51 



52 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

flesh " *; on the human, " a perfect man/' " in whom 
dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." 2 
Christ therefore is presented to us as, in every charac- 
teristic of his being, supremely qualified to meet our 
necessities, or to minister to the needs of a world weak 
in faith and lost in sin. 

As respects his human nature, we are told that he 
grew up naturally from childhood, — " increased in 
wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man," 
and was subject to his parents, 3 — that he endured 



1 1 Tim. Ill: 16 And without controversy great is the 
mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in 
the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed 
on in the world, received up into glory. 



2 Eph. IV: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and 
of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the 
measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. 

Col. I: 18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who 
is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things 
he might have the preeminence. 

19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness 
dwell. 

Col. II: 8 Beware lest any man spoil you through phi- 
losophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudi- 
ments of the world, and not after Christ. 

9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 



3 Lk. II: 51 And he went down with them, and came to 
Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all 
these sayings in her heart. 

52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour 
with God and man. 



The Divine Way of Establishing Faith 53 

privations, " was acquainted with grief," 4 was 
" touched with the feeling of our infirmities, " and 
" was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without 
sin " 5 ; that he sought help in prayer, feeling the 
need of divine aid the same as we do ; 6 and that he 
" learned obedience by the things which he suf- 



4 Isa. LIII: 3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man 
of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were our 
faces from him: he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 

Lk. XIX: 41 And when he was come near, he beheld the 
city, and wept over it. 

Jn. XI: 34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said 
unto him, Lord, come and see. 

35 Jesus wept. 



5 Heb. IV: 14 Seeing then that we have a great high 
priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let 
us hold fast our profession. 

15 For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched 
with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted 
like as we are, yet without sin. 



6 Jn. XII: 27 Now is my soul troubled, and what shall I 
say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I 
unto this hour. 

Jn. XVII: 1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes 
to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, 
that thy Son also may glorify thee. 

Mat. XXVI: 39 And he went a little further, and fell on his 
face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this 
cup pass from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. 

Mat. XXVII: 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with 
a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, 
My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? 



54 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

fered " 7,s ; therefore that he could sympathize with 
fallen man, and was one with whom the world could 
sympathize. 

But, it may be asked, did not the human nature of 
Jesus differ in any respect from ours? So far as we are 
informed, it appears to have been the same in its 
essentials and in its organization, both physically 
and spiritually — only, superior in character — the dif- 
ference being merely that between a perfectly good man 
and one more or less depraved. We have reason to 
believe that, as Jesus was " without sin," his nature 
was pure and holy from the beginning — free even 
from hereditary taint or defilement (see page 57, first 

7 Jesus Christ learned obedience by doing and enduring what- 
ever was required of him by the Divine Father, despite the occa- 
sional opposition of his own desires and notwithstanding his 
sufferings in overcoming these desires. In other words, he 
learned all that obedience involved in yielding — often contrary 
to his natural inclinations — to what he realized was the will of 
the Father, without full knowledge as to what would be the out- 
come of such obedience, but in a spirit of humble trustfulness in 
the Father. This was strikingly illustrated during his passion in 
the garden, when he prayed: " O my Father, if it be possible, 
let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou 
wilt " (Mat. xxvi, 39). It should not be understood that, having 
been once disobedient, he afterwards learned to obey; for we are 
told that he " did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth " 
(1 Pet. ii, 21, 22), that he " knew no sin " (II Cor. v, 21), that he 
was " without sin " (Heb. iv, 15). 



8 Heb. V: 8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedi- 
ence by the things which he suffered; 

9 And being made perfect, he became author of eternal salva- 
tion unto all them that obey him. 



The Divine Way of Establishing Faith 55 

paragraph). His faculties, then, from the first, must 
have been in even balance, or in perfect harmony 
according to the divine purpose; so that he was in 
reality the perfect man. Hence, as he grew in intelli- 
gence, he must have recognized, with clear vision and 
to the fullest extent of which a human being was 
capable, the evils that sin had wrought in the world 
and was still working. Its miseries were ever before 
him, and moved him not only to utterances of pro- 
found sorrow but to passionate tears. 9 Accordingly 
Jesus, in his inner consciousness, from his earliest 
years of discretion, was impressively forewarned — 
as was no one else before him — of the bitterness of 
transgression : forewarned not merely by divine reve- 
lation and by the teachings of Nature — as, we are 

Lk. XIII : 34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the 
prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often 
would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather 
her brood under her wings, and ye would not ! 

35 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I 
say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye 
shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. 

Lk. XIX: 41 And when he was come near, he beheld the 
city, and wept over it, 

42 Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy 
day, the things which belong unto thy peace, but now they are hid 
from thine eyes. 

43 For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies 
shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep 
thee in on every side, 

44 And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children 
within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon 
another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation. 



56 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

told, the father of our race was, — but by wholesome 
instruction from pious associates, especially from his 
saintly mother; also by his personal observation of 
the wretchedness which sin engenders — a wretched- 
ness that smote him to the very heart — and by his 
own experiences as a victim of the painful wrongdoing 
of others. Therefore Jesus had that to strengthen him 
in his faith in the Divine Father, and thus to fortify 
him against temptation, which Adam, at the outset — 
as it appears from the scriptural account — had not, 
and could not have, until after he had fallen into 
disobedience and had been banished from Eden. 10 

10 Gen. II: 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, 
saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 

17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou 
shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou 
shalt surely die. 

18 And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should 
be alone; I will make him a help meet for him. 

25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were 
not ashamed. 

Gen. Ill: 4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall 
not surely die: 

5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your 
eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and 
evil. 

6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, 
and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to 
make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave 
also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. 

7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that 
they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made 
themselves aprons. 

22 And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one 



The Divine Way of Establishing Faith 57 

It is hardly needful to remark that it is beyond the scope 
of the present treatise to consider in just what way — that is, 
through what agency and in what manner — the man Jesus 
was endowed from the beginning with a perfect moral nature. 
Those who believe in the " virgin birth," or in the miraculous 
origin of our Saviour, probably will find no difficulty in the 
matter. They undoubtedly will recognize the marvelous 
purification which naturally would be wrought by the Divine 
Spirit in his mother's moral being when the Holy Ghost — 
as predicted by the angel Gabriel — came upon her and the 
power of the Highest overshadowed her, preparatory to her 
bringing into the world one whose absolute perfection was 
foretold by the prophets and typified in the Jewish sacrifices ; 
and accordingly will conclude that, being thus sanctified, her 
own purity contributed — with the divine — to secure the 
stainless character of her offspring. But those who discredit 
such an origin will, most likely, if they admit the sanctity 
of Jesus from his birth, find themselves forced to concede 
that, in some other way, not less miraculous, his spiritual purity 
was assured; so that the law of heredity, in accordance with 
which the iniquities of the fathers are visited upon the chil- 
dren unto the third and fourth generation, was rendered in 
his case ineffective. 

In his divine nature, Christ is set before us in the 
Scriptures as " the Word," — or the intelligible ex- 
pression of the Deity, — which was " in the beginning, 
which was with God and was God "; as the Creator 
and sustainer, by whom " all things were made, and 
without whom was not anything made that is made," 

of us, to know good and evil; and now, lest he put forth his hand, 
and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: 

23 Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of 
Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. 



58 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

and who upholds " all things by the word of his 
power " "; as the " Immanuel " of prophecy — that 

11 Jn. I: 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word 
was with God, and the Word was God. 

2 The same was in the beginning with God. 

3 All things were made by him ; and without him was not any 
thing made that was made. 

14 And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, (and 
we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the 
Father,) full of grace and truth. 

[The phrase, " And the Word was made flesh " is in the 
nature of a metonomy, — in which the term " flesh " is used to 
denote what was made manifest through the flesh. It is equiva- 
lent to saying: The Word, or intelligible expression of the Deity 
(that is, God appearing in a way as comprehensible to man as a 
word or message sent) was manifest through the person of our 
Saviour. The apostle Paul uses similar language when he says 
in II Cor. iii, 2, 3: " Ye are our epistles, written in our hearts, 
known and read of all men; being made manifest that ye are an 
epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but with 
the Spirit of the living God, not in tables of stone, but in tables 
that are hearts of flesh " (see Revised Version) . It may be well 
to consider the above statement, respecting the Logos, or Word, 
in connection with Paul's declaration, " For in him dwelleth all 
the fulness of the Godhead bodily " (Col. ii, 9).] 

Col. I: 14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, 
even the forgiveness of sins: 

15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of 
every creature: 

16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and 
that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, 
or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created 
by him, and for him : 

17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 
Heb. I: 1 God who at sundry times and in divers manners 

spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 

2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he 



The Divine Way of Establishing Faith 59 

is, " God with us " 12 — the being whose name shall 
be called " Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, 
The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." 13 It 
appears therefore that Christ, as respects his divine 
nature, is God revealed — or the Supreme Being so far 
as he can be made manifest to lower intelligences, 
either human or angelic. 14 To man's understanding, 

hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the 
worlds; 

3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express 
image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his 
power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the 
right hand of the Majesty on high. 



12 Isa. VII: 14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a 
sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall 
call his name Immanuel. 

Mat. I: 21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt 
call his name JESUS : for he shall save his people from their sins. 

22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was 
spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 

23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a 
son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being inter- 
preted is, God with us. 

13 Isa. IX: 6 For unto you a child is born, unto us a son is 
given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his 
name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, 
The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 

Tit. II: 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious 
appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. 

Acts V: 31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be 
a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and 
forgiveness of sins. 



14 Heb. II: 5 For unto which of the angels said he at any 



60 A Lawyer's Brie} on the Atonement 

the divine Christ is peculiarly Immanuel, " God with 
us " — or God revealed in the person of Jesus of 
Nazareth, " God . . . manifest in the flesh." 15 

The Jews sought to kill him; because they under- 
stood him to make himself equal with God. 16 He 
declared to them, " I and my Father are one " (Jn. x, 
30). When Philip said to him, " Lord, show us the 
Father, and it suffice th us," he replied: " Have I been 
so long time with you, and hast thou not known 
me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the 
Father; and how sayest thou, then, Show us the 
Father. Believe me that I am in the Father, and 
the Father in me; or else believe me for the very 
works' sake " (Jn. xiv, 8-11). 

In these declarations, Christ claimed substantially 
that, while he possessed a human nature — body and 



time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And 
again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? 

6 And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the 
world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. 



15 1 Tim. Ill: 16 And without controversy great is the 
mystery of godliness; God was manifest in the flesh, justified in 
the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed 
on in the world, received into glory. 

Jn. XII: 44 Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, 
belie veth not on me, but on him that sent me. 

45 And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me. 



16 Jn. V: 18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, 
because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that 
God was his Father, making himself equal with God. 



The Divine Way of Establishing Faith 61 

soul, complete 17 — the Divine Spirit, which is omni- 
present, dwelt in him and around him, pervading his 
human spirit; and that his soul had entered into such 
relations with the Divine Spirit, or had gained such 
communion with it, and voluntarily was so moved by 
it, that, through his words and his works, he exhibited 
divine attributes, or showed — not only in effect, but 
in reality — God dwelling in him, 18 God " reconciling 
the world unto himself." 19 

17 Mat. XXVI: 12 For in that she hath poured this oint- 
ment on my body, she did it for my burial. 

38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, 
even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. 

Jn. XII: 27 Now is my soul troubled: and what shall I say? 
Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto 
this hour. 

Jn. II: 19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this 
temple, and in three days I will raise it up. 

20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in 
building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? 

21 But he spake of the temple of his body. 

22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples 
remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed 
the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said. 

Acts II: 31 He, seeing this before, spake of the resurrection 
of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see 
corruption. 

32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. 



18 Col. II: 8 Beware lest any man spoil you through phi- 
losophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the 
rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 

9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 



19 II Cor. V: 18 And all things are of God, who hath recon- 



62 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

Thus our Saviour, it is believed, gave to mankind 
that new and impressive revelation of the Deity which 
was needful to bring them to faith in God as a loving 
Father and as the Supreme Ruler of the Universe: 
we say needful; because — the minds of men having 
been darkened by sin — they could be led to recog- 
nize God, in the supremacy of his might and the infini- 
tude of his love, only by such a manifestation of him- 
self as would be clearly understood by them and would 
appeal to their hearts with the greatest force. They 
must he made to know him and believe in him, as one 
worthy of their obedience, love and worship, before they 
could accept him in their hearts as Jehovah, their Sov- 
ereign Lord. 20 The "Sun of Righteousness " must arise, 
and dispel the night of their errors; Christ, '' the light 
of the world/' must come. 21 



ciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the 
ministry of reconciliation; 

19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto 
himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath com- 
mitted unto us the word of reconciliation. 



20 Heb. XI: 6 But without faith it is impossible to please 
him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that 
he is a re warder of them that diligently seek him. 



21 Mal. IV: 2 But unto you that fear my name shall the 
Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall 
go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. 

Jn. VIII: 12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I 
am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in 
darkness, but shall have the light of life. 



The Divine Way of Establishing Faith 63 

The revelation of God in the person of Jesus Christ 
was the highest revelation that was possible to the 
mind of man; since it was the utmost expression of 
the Infinite which could be given to man through a 
finite medium, and the noblest in its type that could 
come within the range of human comprehension. 

But how could two natures, a divine and a human, 
be united in Christ, so that he could properly say, " I 
and my Father are one " ? How could they be one? 

It must be admitted that all objects we are most 
familiar with are composed of distinct parts — each, 
more or less unlike the rest, — which, by virtue of 
their union, serve a common purpose or end; and that, 
as respects this purpose or end, each of these objects, 
although composite, is termed one — the oneness 
being merely relative. Thus we say: one world, one 
country, one city, one man, one stone. But, in neither 
of these instances, do we mean, by " one," that the 
various parts of the object are blended in a common 
identity, or changed into one substance. The stone, 
if it be granite, is composed of quartz, feldspar and 
mica, united by cohesion; but each component main- 
tains its distinctiveness, notwithstanding the oneness 
of the whole mass. 

There is perhaps nothing, of which we can predicate 
absolute oneness, wholly devoid of recognizable parts, 
— except God, in his infinitude (see page 5, para- 
graphs 2 and 3 preceding). In a sense, however, every 
living creature has a peculiar oneness; namely, in the 
one life that pervades and affects its entire structure. 



64 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

It must be admitted that God, as an omnipresent 
Spirit, not only surrounds, but dwells in and through- 
out all men, just as he dwells in and throughout every- 
thing else. But is it not possible that he may dwell 
in a human person in such a way as to enter into a 
living and abiding relationship with the soul of that 
person, for a certain end or purpose; so there will be a 
union of the two as effectual, for what is desired, as 
the union between the soul and the body? Assuredly 
this is possible to the Almighty. Under divine provi- 
dence, then, may not the unwavering faith in God of a 
soul continually and prayerfully desiring his aid 
in its efforts to lead a righteous life constitute a vital bond 
which unites it to the Deity in a perpetual oneness as 
constant and unfailing as the fulfillment of his promise 
that " all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, be- 
lieving, ye shall receive'' 1 1 22 Let the reader consider 
this question carefully, and not dismiss it at once as 
of little importance. 

" Prayer is the soul's sincere desire, 
Uttered or unexpressed, 
The motion of a hidden fire 
That trembles in the breast." 

May not the " sincere desire " — prayerful in its 
nature — for the preservation of the spiritual life, 
be as earnest and as constant, in a being cherishing 
profound faith in God, as that for the preservation of 

22 Mat. XXI: 22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in 
prayer, believing, ye shall receive. 



The Divine Way of Establishing Faith 65 

the natural life, which we all recognize as a constant 
desire? Admitting this may be, and recognizing the 
power of prayer, we concede the possibility not only 
of a spiritual oneness with God, but of all that such 
oneness implies. 

The Scripture record concerning Jesus of Nazareth 
affords abundant proof of his uninterrupted faith in 
the Father: a faith frequently expressed in oral 
prayer and which manifested itself in continual trust; 
a faith which enabled him to overcome all tempta- 
tions, — to evoke the announcement from on High, 
" This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased," 
— to endure patiently the greatest sufferings, — to 
show perfect love to God and man, — to call forth the 
power of God in signs, wonders and miracles, — to in- 
duce to his manhood, by impartation from the Divine, 
a superhuman wisdom which justified the assertion, 
" Never man spake like this man," — to do all things 
in a spirit of meekness for the glory of God, — and, so 
doing in the exercise of his human will, to be volun- 
tarily obedient to the divine will as revealed to him 
by the indwelling presence of the Deity. 23 I say: 

23 Heb. XII: 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher 
of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured 
the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand 
of the throne of God. 

3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners 
against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 

4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. 
Gal. II: 20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; 

yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live 



66 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

" voluntarily obedient to the Divine will " — thus 
making his human will perfectly coincident with the 
divine, as respects his moral conduct — or one with 
the will of God, — and thereby securing to himself 
the utmost fulfillment of the sacred promise. Thus 
it appears that the human Jesus was united in such a 
vital oneness with the Deity as gave to him a power, 
through prayerful desire, limited only by the necessary 

in the flesh I live by faith of the Son of God, who loved me and 
gave himself for me. 

Rom. Ill: 21 But now the righteousness of God without the 
law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 

22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus 
Christ unto all and upon all them that believe; for there is no 
difference. 

Heb. IV: 15 For we have not a high priest which cannot be 
touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points 
tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 

Mat. Ill: 16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up 
straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened 
unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, 
and lighting upon him: 

17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved 
Son, in whom I am well pleased. 

Eph. Ill: 17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; 
that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 

18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the 
breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 

19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, 
that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. 

Jn. XV: 9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved 
you: continue ye in my love. 

Lk. VII: 11 And it came to pass the day after, that he went 
into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, 
and much people. 



The Divine Way of Establishing Faith 67 

bounds of an all-wise providence and by his human 
capacity for the expression of the divine. Of the 
majesty of such far-reaching power and of the splendor 
of a being which could compass it, who on earth can 
conceive? 

Yet Jesus, in his last prayer with his disciples, ear- 
nestly entreated that a like oneness with himself and 
with the Father might be granted to them and to all 

12 Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, 
there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and 
she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. 

13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, 
and said unto her, Weep not. 

14 And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare 
him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. 

15 And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he 
delivered him to his mother. 

16 And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, 
saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That 
God hath visited his people. 

Jn. XI: 33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the 
Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, 
and was troubled. 

34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They say unto him, 
Lord, come and see. 

35 Jesus wept. 

36 Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him! 

37 And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened 
the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not 
have died? 

38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the 
grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. 

39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of 
him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: 
for he hath been dead four days. 



68 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

who should accept their word concerning him, 24 say- 
ing: " I pray not for the world, but for them thou 
hast given me." ..." Holy Father, keep through 
thine own name those whom thou hast given me, 
that they may be one, as we are." ..." Neither 
pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall 
believe on me through their word: that they all may 
be one; as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that 
they all may be one in us." . . . " I in them, and 



40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou 
wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? 

41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the 
dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, 
I thank thee that thou hast heard me. 

42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of 
the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that 
thou hast sent me. 

43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, 
Lazarus, come forth. 

44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot 
with graveclothes; and his face was bound about with a napkin. 
Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. 

Mat. VIII: 26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fear- 
ful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and 
the sea; and there was a great calm. 

27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is 
this, that even the winds and the sea obey him! 

Jn. VII: 45 Then came the officers to the chief priests and 
Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought 
him? 

46 The officers answered, Never man spake like this man. 



24 Mar. XVI: 15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the 
world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 



The Divine Way of Establishing Faith 69 

thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; 
and that the world may know thou hast sent me, and 
hast loved them as thou hast loved me." 25 

Who can doubt that this prayer has been answered 
as far as possible, and is still being answered, accord- 
ing to the capacity of believers, or in proportion to 
their faith in Christ? And when the believers have 
entered into this oneness, and have become animated 
witha new life — or alive with God, through faith, by 
the power of prayer, — may it not truly be said of 
them, as Christ said to Nicodemus, that they have been 
" born again " — " born of the Spirit " — and have 
entered into the " kingdom of God " 28 or, in other 



25 Jn. XVII: 1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his 
eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy 
Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee. 

6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou 
gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest 
them me; and they have kept thy word. 

9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them 
which thou hast given me; for they are thine. 

11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the 
world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine 
own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, 
as we are. 

20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall 
believe on me through their word. 

23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect 
in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, 
and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. 



28 Jn. Ill: 1 There was aj man of the Pharisees, named 
Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 



70 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

words, that they have been transformed, according 
to the measure of their faith, by the entrance into 
their active being of the divine life, coworking with the 
human, — and that each, in Christ, has become " a 
new creature " ? 27 



2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, 
we know that thou art a teacher come from God : for no man can 
do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. 

3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto 
thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of 
God. 

4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he 
is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and 
be born? 

5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee: Except a 
man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the 
kingdom of God. 

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is 
born of the Spirit is spirit. 

I Jn. V: 1 Whosoever belie veth that Jesus is the Christ is 
born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth 
him also that is begotten of him. 

II And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal 
life, and this life is in his Son. 

12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the 
Son of God hath not life. 

1 Jn. Ill: 1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath 
bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: 
therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 

2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet 
appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall 
appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 

3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, 
even as he is pure. 



27 II Cor. V: 17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a, 



The Divine Way of Establishing Faith 71 

Should not the prospect of such a oneness with God 
move every Christian soul to its profoundest depths, 
and prompt it to its noblest efforts? 



new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are 
become new. 

Rom. VIII: 9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, 
if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have 
not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 

11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead 
dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also 
quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. 

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the 
sons of God. 

15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to 
fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we 
cry, Abba, Father. 

16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we 
are the children of God: 

17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs 
with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also 
glorified together. 

28 And we know that all things work together for good to 
them that love God, to them who are the called according to his 
purpose. 

29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be 
conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn 
among many brethren. 

Jn. X: 30 I and my Father are one. 

31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. 

32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed 
you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? 

33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone 
thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a 
man, makest thyself God. 

34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, 
Ye are gods? 



72 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

" Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have 
entered into the heart of man, the things which God 
hath prepared for them that love him " (I Cor. ii, 9). 



35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, 
and the scripture cannot be broken; 

36 Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent 
into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son 
of God? 



VIII 
THE INSPIRATION OF FAITH BY CHRIST 

Let us now consider more particularly how Christ, 
in his own person, by his words and Ms works, — in 
fact, by all the incidents of his moral history, and 
especially by his death on the cross, — inspired faith 
in God as manifested in and through himself. 

(1) He inspired such faith not only by the evocation 
at the time of his baptism of the announcement from 
on High, " This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well 
pleased," 1 but also of a similar announcement at the 
time of his transfiguration, " This is my beloved Son, 
hear him," 2 likewise by calling forth the response, a 
little before the passover supper at Jerusalem — when, 
in view of his approaching death, he exclaimed in 
anguish: " Now is my soul troubled, and what shall 
I say? Father save me from this hour; but for this 
cause came I unto this hour: Father glorify thy 
name ": whereupon there came a voice from heaven, 
saying, " I have both glorified it, and will glorify it 
again." (Jn. xii, 27-29.) In these announcements 
and in this final declaration, Christ's divine sonship 

1 Mat. Ill: 17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is 
my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 



2 Lk. IX: 35 And there came a voice out of the cloud, 
saying, This is my beloved Son : hear him. 



73 



74 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

was declared as then manifest and to be made further 
manifest in such a manner as to glorify the Father. 

(2) He inspired faith in God and in the existence 
of a spiritual universe subject to his control, also in 
the existence of evil spirits which mankind are re- 
quired to combat and overcome, by causing evil spirits 
to become plainly manifest, and by relieving their 
victims of their fearful possession. The evil spirits 
cried out against him; he talked with them, he re- 
buked them, he commanded them, he cast them out. 3 

3 Mark I: 23 And there was in their synagogue a man with 
an unclean spirit; and he cried out, 

24 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou 
Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who 
thou art, the Holy One of God. 

25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come 
out of him. 

26 And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with 
a loud voice, he came out of him. 

Lk. VIII: 26 And they arrived at the country of the Gada- 
renes, which is over against Galilee. 

27 And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the 
city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no 
clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs. 

28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, 
and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, 
thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not. 

29 (For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of 
the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept 
bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and 
was driven of the devil into the wilderness.) 

30 And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he 
said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him. 

31 And they besought him that he would not command them 
to go out into the deep. 



Inspiration of Faith by Christ 75 

In this way, he overcame to some extent the unbelief 
and materialism of the Sadducees, who held that there 
was neither angel nor spirit, and therefore denied the 
doctrine of the resurrection and the future life. 4 

In speaking of the showing of Christ's power over 
evil spirits, as related in the gospels, it may be observed 
that many theologians doubt or deny the existence of 
such spirits as active agents in respect to mankind, 
but that the species of arguments they use to support 
their contentions are hardly less effective when used 
in like manner with reference to angels. Yet even the 
acceptance of their incredulous notions does not mate- 
rially impair the strength of the evidence for the view 

32 And there was there a herd of many swine, feeding on the 
mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to 
enter into them. And he suffered them. 

33 Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the 
swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the 
lake and were choked. 

34 When they that fed them saw what was done, they fled, and 
went and told it in the city and in the country. 

35 Then they went out to see what was done; and came to 
Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, 
sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and 
they were afraid. 

4 Acts XXIII: 6 But when Paul perceived that the one 
part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the 
council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee : 
of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question. 

7 And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between 
the Pharisees and the Sadducees : and the multitude was divided. 

8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither 
angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both. 



76 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

of the atonement herein presented — which, it should 
be carefully kept in mind, is the chief subject of the 
present discussion. 

(3) Christ also inspired faith in God by many 
miracles for an immediately beneficent purpose or for 
carrying conviction of his mission by showing his 
control over the forces of Nature — miracles such, 
for instance, as stilling the tempest, walking upon the 
sea, multiplying the loaves and fishes to feed the 
multitude, healing the sick, — restoring the blind, 
the deaf, the lame and the impotent, — cleansing the 
lepers, and raising the dead. All these miracles, he 
ascribed to the power of the Divine Being dwelling in 
him. 5 

(4) He further inspired faith in God by giving to 
the chief of his disciples, especially to the chosen 
twelve, the capability of working miracles. 6 This 

5 Jn. XIV: 10 Belie vest thou not that I am in the Father, 
and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak 
not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the 
works. 

Jn. V: 19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, 
verily, I say unto you, The son can do nothing of himself, but 
what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, 
these also doeth the Son likewise. 

30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and 
my judgment is just, because I seek not mine own will, but the 
will of the Father which hath sent me. 

31 If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. 



6 Mat. X: 1 And when he had called unto him his twelve 
disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast 



Inspiration of Faith by Christ 77 

capability, they ascribed to the divine power imparted 
through him. For example, we find Peter with John 
healing the lame man at the temple gate, called Beau- 
tiful; and, when the multitude looked on them with 
wonder, Peter said: " Why marvel ye at this; or why 
look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power 
or holiness we had made this man to walk? The God 
... of our fathers hath glorified his Son Jesus, whom 
ye delivered up. . . . And his name, through faith 
in his name, hath made this man strong, whom ye see 

them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of 
disease. 

5 These twelve Jesus sent forth and commanded them, saying, 
Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the 
Samaritans enter ye not : 

6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 

7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at 
hand. 

8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out 
devils: freely ye have received, freely give. 

Lk. X: 1 After these things the Lord appointed other 
seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into 
every city and place, whither he himself would come. 

2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but 
the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, 
that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. 

9 And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The 
kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. 

17 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, 
even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. 

18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall 
from heaven. 

19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and 
scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall 
by any means hurt you. 



78 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

and know; yea, the faith which is by him hath given 
him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all." 7 

(5) Christ likewise inspired, or revived and quick- 
ened, faith in God by fulfilling in himself numerous 
Scripture prophecies respecting the Messiah so com- 
pletely as to afford the most convincing proofs that 
he was the promised Saviour, foretold at least two 
thousand years before. These prophecies were ex- 
ceedingly minute. They were familiar to all intelli- 
gent Jews; and, on them, were based the highest 
hopes of the nation. Yet the Jews understood them 
imperfectly, and partly misinterpreted them. 

Many of these prophecies are set forth in the book 
of Isaiah, especially in the fifty-third chapter of that 
book. Among the points to which they relate are 
the following: Christ's divine origin, 8 his Abrahamic 

7 Acts III: 12 And when Peter saw it, he answered unto 
the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look 
ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we 
had made this man to walk? 

13 The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God 
of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered 
up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was deter- 
mined to let him go. 

16 And his name, through faith in his name, hath made this 
man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by 
him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you 
all. 

8 Isa. IX: 6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is 
given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his 
name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, 
The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 



Inspiration of Faith by Christ 79 

descent, 9 his birth in Bethlehem of Judea, 10 his wis- 

9 Isa. XI: 1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the 
stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: 
. 2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of 
wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the 
spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; 

3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the 
Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither 
reprove after the hearing of his ears : 

4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove 
with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the 
earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips 
shall he slay the wicked. 

5 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faith- 
fulness the girdle of his reins. 

6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard 
shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and 
the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. 

7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall 
lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 

8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and 
the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den. 

9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: 
for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the 
waters cover the sea. 

10 And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall 
stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek; 
and his rest shall be glorious. 

Mat. I: 1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the 
son of David, the son of Abraham. 

16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom 
was born Jesus, who is called Christ. 



10 Mic. V: 2 But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah, though thou be 
little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come 
forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have 
been from of old, from everlasting. 



80 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

dom/ 1 his righteousness, 12 his prophetic office/ 3 his 

11 Isa. XI: 1 And there shall come forth a root out of the 
stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: 

2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of 
wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the 
spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. 



12 Isa. IX: 7 Of the increase of his government and peace 
there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his 
kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with 
justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of 
hosts will perform this. 

Isa. XI: 1 And there shall come forth a root out of the stem 
of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: 

2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of 
wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the 
spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; 

3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of 
the Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, 
neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: 

4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove 
with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth 
with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he 
slay the wicked. 

5 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faith- 
fulness the girdle of his reins. 

Jer. XXIII: 5 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that 
I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign 
and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. 

6 In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell 
safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE 
LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. 



13 Deut. XVIII: 15 The Lord thy God will raise up unto 
thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto 
me; unto him ye shall hearken; 

16 According to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in 
Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again 



Inspiration of Faith by Christ 81 

priesthood, 14 his kingship, 15 his mediatorial — or in- 

the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire 
any more, that I die not. 

17 And the Lord said unto me, They have well spoken that 
which they have spoken. 

18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, 
like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall 
speak unto them all that I shall command him. 

19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken 
unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it 
of him. 

14 Isa. LII: 15 So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings 
shall shut their mouths at him : for that which had not been told 
them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall 
they consider. 

Isa. LIII: 10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he 
hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering 
for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the 
pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. 

11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: 
by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for 
he shall bear their iniquities. 

12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he 
shall divide the spoil with the strong: because he hath poured out 
his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgres- 
sors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the 
transgressors. 

Zech. VI: 12 And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh 
the Lord of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The 
BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall 
build the temple of the Lord: 

13 Even he shall build the temple of the Lord; and he shall 
bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he 
shall be a priest upon his throne : and the counsel of peace shall 
be between them both. 



15 Ps. II: 1 Why do the heathen rage and the people imagine 
a vain thing? 



82 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

tercessory — character, 16 his miracles, 17 his meek- 

2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take 
counsel together, against the Lord, and against his Anointed, 
saying, 

3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords 
from us. 

4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall 
have them in derision. 

5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in 
his sore displeasure. 

6 Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Zion. 

7 I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou 
art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 

8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheri- 
tance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. 

Isa. IX: 7 Of the increase of his government and peace there 
shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, 
to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice 
from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will 
perform this. 

Dan. VII: 13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one 
like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to 
the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 

14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a 
kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve 
him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not 
pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. 



16 Isa. LIII: 12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with 
the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because 
he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered 
with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made 
intercession for the transgressors. 



17 Isa. XXXV: 4 Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be 
strong, fear not; behold, your God will come with vengeance, 
even God with a recompense; he will come and save you. 



Inspiration of Faith by Christ 83 

ness, 18 his sufferings and rejection, 19 his willing sacrifice 

5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of 
the deaf shall be unstopped. 

6 Then shall the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of 
the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and 
streams in the desert. 



18 Isa. XLII: 1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine 
elect, in whom, my soul delighteth; I have put my Spirit upon 
him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. 

2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard 
in the street. 

3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall 
he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. 



19 Isa. LII: 13 Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, 
he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. 

14 As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred 
more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men: 

15 So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut 
their mouths at him : for that which had not been told them shall 
they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider. 

Isa. LIII: 1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is 
the arm of the Lord revealed? 

2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a 
root out of a dry ground; he hath no form nor comeliness; and 
when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire 
him. 

3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and 
acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; 
he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 

4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: 
yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 

5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised 
for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; 
and with his stripes we are healed. 

6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every 



84 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

of himself, 20 God's surrender of Jesus to death for 
man's redemption, 21 the wounds of Jesus, 22 the parting 

one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity 
of us all. 

20 Isa. LIU: 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet 
he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, 
and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his 
mouth. 

8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who 
shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of 
the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. 

9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in 
his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any 
deceit in his mouth. 



21 Isa. LIII: 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have 
turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him 
the iniquity of us all. 

7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not 
his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a 
sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. 

8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who 
shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of 
the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. 

9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in 
his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any 
deceit in his mouth. 

10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him ; he hath put him to 
grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall 
see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the 
Lord shall prosper in his hand. 



22 Ps. XXII: 16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly 
of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my 
feet. 

Jn. XIX: 37 And again another scripture saith, They shall 
look on him whom they pierced. 



Inspiration of Faith by Christ 85 

of his garments, 23 his entombment with the rich, 24 his 
resurrection, 25 his ascension. 26 

(6) But more powerful, perhaps, as a means of 
bringing mankind to faith, than Christ's fulfillment of 
the prophecies or than any of the supernatural events 

23 Ps. XXII: 18 They part my garments among them, and 
cast lots upon my vesture. 

Mat. XXVII: 35 And they crucified him, and parted his 
garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was 
spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, 
and upon my vesture did they cast lots. 



24 Isa. LIII: 9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and 
with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, 
neither was any deceit in his mouth. 



25 Ps. XVI: 8 I have set the Lord always before me: be- 
cause he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 

9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my 
flesh also shall rest in hope. 

10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou 
suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 



28 Ps. LXVIII: 18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast 
led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, 
for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among 
them. 

Eph. IV: 7 But unto every one of us is given grace according 
to the measure of the gift of Christ. 

8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led 
captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 

9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended 
first into the lower parts of the earth? 

10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far 
above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) 



86 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

attending his career, was the influence of his own 
personal character and loveliness, illustrating the 
beauty of holiness in both the divine nature and the 
human, and irresistibly drawing the hearts of multi- 
tudes toward him and filling them with an abiding 
spirit of love. At a later period, the spirit thus im- 
parted was communicated to others by the teachings 
and example of those who felt the power of his love 
and purity; and ever since has been transmitted from 
generation to generation by like agencies — being 
destined to be disseminated and to pervade the hearts 
of men more and more, until the earth shall be filled 
with the knowledge and love of God. 

Christ's love was manifested toward all — especially 
toward the humblest and most sinful. 27 It was evinced 

27 Lk. VII: 20 When the men were come unto him, they 
said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he 
that should come? or look we for another? 

21 And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities 
and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he 
gave sight. 

22 Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and 
tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the 
blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, 
the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. 

36 And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat 
with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down 
to meat. 

37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, 
when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, 
brought an alabaster box of ointment, 

38 And stood at his feet behind Mm weeping, and began to 
wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her 



Inspiration of Faith by Christ 87 

head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the oint- 
ment. 

39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he 
spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, 
would have known who and what manner of woman this is that 
toucheth him ; for she is a sinner. 

Lk. XIV: 13 But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, 
the maimed, the lame, the blind : 

14 And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense 
thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the 
just. 

Mat. XIX: 21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, 
go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt 
have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. 

Mark II: 14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of 
Alpheus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, 
Follow me. And he arose and followed him. 

15 And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, 
many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his 
disciples; for there were many, and they followed him. 

16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with 
publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that 
he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? 

17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are 
whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I 
came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. 

Jn. IV: 4 And he must needs go through Samaria. 

5 Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, 
near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 

6 Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied 
with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth 
hour. 

7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus 
saith unto her, Give me to drink. 

8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy 
meat.) 

9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that 
thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of 
Samaria? for the Jews had no dealings with the Samaritans. 



88 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

in unceasing efforts to do good to all, 28 and that, with- 

10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift 
of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou 
wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living 
water. 

39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him 
for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that 
ever I did. 

40 So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they be- 
sought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there 
two days. 

41 And many more believed because of his own word. 

Lk. XXIII: 39 And one of the malefactors which were 
hanged railed on him saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and 
us. 

40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not 
thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 

41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our 
deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 

42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou 
comest into thy kingdom. 

43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day 
shalt thou be with me in paradise. 



28 Mat. XIII: 1 The same day went Jesus out of the house, 
and sat by the sea side. 

2 And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so 
that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood 
on the shore. 

3 And he spake many things unto them in parables. 

Lk. XXIII: 5 And they were the more fierce, saying, He 
stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning 
from Galilee to this place. 

Jn. XVIII: 19 The high priest then asked Jesus of his 
disciples and of his doctrine. 

20 Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever 
taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews 
always resort; and in secret have I said nothing. 



Inspiration of Faith by Christ 89 

out the covetous seeking of an earthly reward. It 
was shown in perpetual self-sacrifice and patient en- 
durance of hardships and distresses, for the sake of 
his fellow men. 29 Finally it was exhibited in its 
crowning glory by the willing surrender of his life on 
the cross. The Saviour's love was perfect, pure and 
undefiled. Therefore only love and purity can flow 
from the fountain having its springs in his holiness. 
No mere human being who has ever borne the taint 
of sin and still wears its stains could have afforded an 
example of such unqualified love : since the love which 
springs from depraved natures is never a ceaseless 
outflow, welling up from a fountain of perfect purity; 
but often is interrupted or defiled by the selfishness 
inherent in such natures, which they never have been 
able to fully cleanse away. Their imperfect outpour- 
ings of love, therefore, never can inspire such abiding 
confidence and trust, and never can quicken to such 
outpourings of love in return, as are inspired by God's 
love as manifested in Christ. The consciousness that 
selfishness in some form may possibty lurk beneath the 

21 Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I 
have said unto them: behold, they know what I said. 



29 Mat. VIII: 19 And a certain scribe came and said unto 
him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. 

20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the 
birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where 
to lay his head. 

Lk. XXIII: 34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; 
for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, 
and cast lots. 



90 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

love which is shown towards us by our friends in this 
world always enfeebles our love towards them; and, 
with continued knowledge of the world and its selfish- 
ness and hypocrisy, our dispositions to love frequently 
are checked rather than promoted. Yet we know that 
often we are powerfully impelled to the exercise of 
love by witnessing its manifestations in others and 
having our sympathies quickened by theirs. Love, 
of a pure spiritual nature, shown toward ourselves, is 
the most powerful means of begetting such love in our 
hearts. Therefore, when we come to the fountain of 
all love, which is God, as manifest in Christ — a foun- 
tain ceaselessly outpouring, — and drink therefrom, 
we find the draught is as a well of water springing up 
in us into everlasting life. 30 

(7) Our Saviour inspired faith in God by his con- 
stant teachings of the doctrine of love, 31 thus justify- 

30 Jn. IV: 13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever 
drinketh of this water shall thirst again : 

14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him 
shall never thirst ; but the water that I shall give him shall be in 
him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. 



31 Jn. XIII: 34 A new commandment I give unto you, That 
ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one 
another. 

35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye 
have love one to another. 

Jn. XV: 9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: 
continue ye in my love. 

10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; 
even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in 
his love. 



Inspiration of Faith by Christ 91 

ing the declaration of the Apostle John that God, him- 
self, is love. 32 His precepts were overflowing with wis- 
dom 33 ; and, being continually illustrated, as they 

11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might 
remain in you, and that your joy might be full. 

12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I 
have loved you. 

13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down 
his life for his friends. 

14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 
17 These things I command you, that ye love one another. 



32 1 Jn. IV: 7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is 
of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth 
God. 

8 He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love. 

9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because 
that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might 
live through him. 

10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved 
us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 

11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one 
another. 

12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one 
another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. 

13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because 
he hath given us of his Spirit. 

14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the 
Son to be the Saviour of the world. 

15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God 
dwelleth in him, and he in God. 

16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath 
to us. God is love ; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, 
and God in him. 

33 Mat. XIII: 54 And when he was come into his own 
country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they 



92 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

were, by his sinless life, 34 have always commended 
themselves, without exception, to the human under- 
standing. They developed in their fullest excellence 
the sacred truths which lay half hidden in the Old 
Testament Scriptures, and gave to mankind the full 
leaf and flower instead of the imperfect root or the 
simple budding stalk. 35 

were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, 
and these mighty works? 

Jn. VII: 46 The officers answered, Never man spake like 
this man. 

34 Heb. IV: 15 For we have not a high priest which cannot 
be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all 
points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 



35 Mat. V: 17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, 
or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 

18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one 
jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be 
fulfilled. 

19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least com- 
mandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in 
the kingdom of heaven : but whosoever shall do and teach them, 
the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 

20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall 
exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in 
no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. 

21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou 
shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the 
judgment: 

22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his 
brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and 
whosoever shall say to this brother, Raca, shall be in danger of 
the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in 
danger of hell fire. 



Inspiration of Faith by Christ 93 

23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there 
rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee; 

24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first 
be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. 

25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art in 
the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee 
to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou 
be cast into prison. 

26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out 
thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing. 

27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou 
shalt not commit adultery: 

28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman 
to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his 
heart. 

29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it 
from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members 
should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into 
hell. 

30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from 
thee : for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should 
perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 

31 It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let 
him give her a writing of divorcement: 

32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his 
wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit 
adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced com- 
mitteth adultery. 

33 Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old 
time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the 
Lord thine oaths; 

34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all ; neither by heaven ; 
for it is God's throne: 

35 Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jeru- 
salem: for it is the city of the great King. 

36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst 
not make one hair white or black. 

37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for 
whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. 



94 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

(8) But more effective than all else as a means of 
bringing mankind to faith was Christ's death on the 
cross. In this, he afforded the highest proofs of love, 
both human and divine. 

His sacrifice on Calvary was the noblest evidence of 
human love, in the fact that Jesus Christ was a willing 
victim and that he laid down his life for all mankind, 
especially for his enemies, 36 that he opposed his ene- 

38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, 
and a tooth for a tooth: 

39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever 
shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. 

40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away 
thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. 

41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with 
him twain. 

42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would 
borrow of thee turn not thou away. 

43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy 
neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 

44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that 
curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them 
which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 

45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in 
heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, 
and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 

46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? 
do not even the publicans the same? 

47 And if ye salute your brother only, what do ye more than 
others? do not even the publicans so? 

48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in 
heaven is perfect. 



38 Jn. X: 14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, 
and am known of mine. 



Inspiration of Faith by Christ 95 

mies only in a moral way — except, as recorded in a 
single instance, for the purification of the temple (Jn. 
ii, 13-16), in which act he was justified by the Jewish 
law, — and that he showed no spirit of retaliation. 
Conscious as he was of the peerless exaltation of his 
spiritual nature, " he humbled himself and became 
obedient to death, even the death of the cross " (Phil, 
ii, 8) : although fully aware that, unless such a sacri- 
fice was indispensable for the accomplishment of his 
redemptive work, he could summon legions of angels 



15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: 
and I lay down my life for the sheep. 

16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them 
also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall 
be one fold, and one shepherd. 

17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down 
my life, that I might take it again. 

18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. 
I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. 
This commandment have I received of my Father. 

Isa. LIII: 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he 
opened not his mouth: he was brought as a lamb to the slaughter; 
and as a sheep before his shearers is dumb, so he opened not his 
mouth. 

8 He was taken from prison and judgment: and who shall 
declare his generation? for he was cut off from the land of the 
living: for the transgressions of my people was he stricken. 

Rom. V: 6 For when we were yet without strength, in due 
time Christ died for the ungodly. 

7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet perad- 
venture for a good man some would even dare to die. 

8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we 
were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 



96 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

to his release 37 ; and although he knew he was a sin- 
less victim, 38 undeserving of death, one who had en- 
dured a world of sorrow for our sakes, 39 who was moved 

37 Mat. XXVI: 52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again 
thy sword into his place; for all they that take the sword shall 
perish with the sword. 

53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and 
he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? 



38 Jn. VI: 35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of 
life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that 
belie veth on me shall never thirst. 

36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe 
not. 

37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him 
that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. 

38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, 
but the will of him that sent me. 

Jn. VIII: 46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if 
I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? 



39 Mat. X: 22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my 
name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. 

23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into 
another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over 
the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come. 

24 The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above 
his lord. 

Jn. XII: 27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? 
Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto 
this hour. 

28 Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from 
heaven saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. 

Lk. XIII: 31 The same day there came certain of the 
Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence; for 
Herod will kill thee. 

32 And he said unto them, Go ye and tell that fox, Behold, I 



Inspiration of Faith by Christ 97 

cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the 
third day I shall be perfected. 

33 Nevertheless I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the 
day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of 
Jerusalem. 

34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and 
stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have 
gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood 
under her wings, and ye would not ! 

35 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I 
say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye 
shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. 

Lk. XIX: 41 And when he was come near, he beheld the 
city, and wept over it, 

42 Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this 
thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they 
are hid from thine eyes. 

43 For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall 
cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee 
in on every side. 

44 And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children 
within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon 
another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation. 

Mat. XXVI: 36 Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place 
called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, 
while I go and pray yonder. 

37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, 
and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. 

38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, 
even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. 

39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and 
prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass 
from me : nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. 

Lk. XXII: 39 And he came out, and went, as he was wont, 
to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him. 

40 And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray 
that ye enter not into temptation . 

41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, 
and kneeled down, and prayed, 



98 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

to tears, even when he drew near to Jerusalem in 
triumph, as he thought of its coming destruction; one 
who cherished the warmest personal attachments, 40 
who had wept with the mourners for Lazarus, 41 and 

42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from 
me: nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be done. 

43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven 
strengthening him. 

44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his 
sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the 
ground. 

40 Mark X: 21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and 
said unto him, One thing thou lackest : go thy way, sell whatso- 
ever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure 
in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. 

22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved, 
for he had great possessions. 

Jn. XI: 5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and 
Lazarus. 

Jn. XV: 9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved 
you: continue ye in my love. 

Jn. XIII: 23 Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one 
of his disciples, whom Jesus loved. 

Jn. XXI: 7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith 
unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it 
was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) 
and did cast himself into the sea. 

20 Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus 
loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and 
said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? 

41 Jn. XI: 32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, 
and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him ; Lord, if 
thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 

33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also 
weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was 
troubled, 



Inspiration of Faith by Christ 99 

who, even while hanging on the cross, committed his 
mother to the care of his beloved disciple 42 ; a sensi- 
tive mortal who shrank from death, with human dread 
and fears; who prayed in agony, " my Father, if it 
be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, 
not as I will, but as thou wilt "; whose sweat, as he 
wrestled with God in anguish, was as great drops of 
blood falling down to the ground, — and to sustain 
whom, during his passion in the garden, there ap- 
peared an angel from heaven, strengthening him. 43 

34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They say unto him, 
Lord, come and see. 

35 Jesus wept. 

42 Jn. XIX: 26 When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and 
the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, 
Woman, behold thy son! 

27 Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And 
from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home. 



43 Mat. XXVI: 36 Then cometh Jesus with them unto a 
place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye 
here, while I go and pray yonder. 

37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, 
and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. 

38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, 
even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. 

39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and 
prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass 
from me : nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. 

Lk. XXII: 39 And he came out, and went as he was wont, 
to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him. 

40 And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray 
that ye enter not into temptation. 



100 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

The perfection of his love likewise was evinced, in 
the midst of his agony on the cross, when he prayed 
for his crucifiers, " Father, forgive them; for they 
know not what they do " (Lk. xxiii, 33, 34). 

Before Christ's willing sacrifice of himself, the idea 
commonly prevailed that one showed the greatest 
love when he laid down his life for his friends 44 ; but 
Jesus introduced the conception of a nobler love, in 
that which he showed for his enemies, and through his 
death on the cross gave to this conception its sublimest 
realization. 45 

41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, 
and kneeled down, and prayed, 

42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from 
me; nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be done. 

43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, 
strengthening him. 

44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his 
sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the 
ground. 

44 Jn. XV: 13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a 
man lay down his life for his friends. 



45 Mat. V: 43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou 
shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 

44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that 
curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which 
despitefully use you, and persecute you; 

45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in 
heaven : for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, 
and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 

Lk. VI: 30 Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of 
him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. 



Inspiration of Faith by Christ 101 

Christ's death afforded the highest proof of the divine 
love in the fact that God, notwithstanding man's hos- 
tility, gave, as a sacrifice for our redemption, his only 
begotten son, 46 who — so far as we know — was the 
only human being that had ever lived a life of perfect 
faith in the Father and of perfect voluntary obedience 
to the divine will, the only one who had ever mani- 
fested perfect love toward the Father, and the only 
one who had ever fully exemplified to the world those 
divine traits which God would have manifest in all 
men. As God's love immeasurably transcends ordi- 
nary human love, and as it was reciprocated by Jesus 
with perfect human affection — the love of each 
feeding the flame of love in the other and thereby 
quickening it to the utmost intensity, — how great 
must have been the sacrifice on the part of the Father 
in yielding such a being a willing victim to hatred and 
malice the most bitter and loathsome conceivable. 

31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to 
them likewise. 

32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? 
for sinners also love those that love them. 

36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. 



48 Jn. Ill: 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his 
only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not 
perish, but have everlasting life. 

17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the 
world; but that the world through him might be saved. 

Rom. VIII: 32 He that spared not his own Son, but deliv- 
ered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give 
us all things? 



102 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

As it is impossible for us to comprehend the greatness 
of the love which God cherished toward his perfect 
Son, so it is impossible for us to comprehend the great- 
ness of the sacrifice when he gave him for our redemp- 
tion. 

Long before the coming of Christ, Greek philosophy 
had recognized to some extent the necessity — in order 
to the redemption of a fallen race — of the sacrificial 
life and death of a being absolutely pure and holy, of 
one in whom the divine and human should be united, 
of the unerringly wise teachings of such a being, of his 
inspiring example, and of the winning power of his 
love. Socrates taught, in a measure, this necessity; 
Plato repeated and amplified the doctrine. Yet it is 
not unlikely that the Hebrew prophecies of a sacrifi- 
cial Redeemer — although imperfectly understood by 
the great body of the Jews — had been communi- 
cated in part to Socrates and his associates. 

Christ's willing suffering of death was necessary to 
perfect the example he would have us to imitate. In 
Romans vi, 4, 6, we are spoken of as " buried with him 
by baptism unto death," and as " knowing this, that 
our old man is crucified with him, that the body of 
sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not 
serve sin." And in Galatians v, 24, it is said, " And 
they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh, with the 
affections and lusts." These are strong expressions, 
signifying that he who is truly Christian is imbued 
with the same spirit of self-sacrifice as was his Divine 
Master, — a spirit which results in willingness to 



Inspiration of Faith by Christ 103 

crucify his carnal nature; that is, to overcome or com- 
pletely subdue his bodily lusts, in the service of 
his Maker, or in obedience to the divine will. 

Christ's death, besides fulfilling various prophecies 
concerning him, realized the supreme atonement of 
which the Jewish sacrifices on the great day of atone- 
ment were typical. 47 Our Saviour, by his death on the 

47 Lev. XVI: 1 And the Lord spake unto Moses after the 
death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the 
Lord, and died; 

2 And the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy 
brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within 
the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he 
die not; for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat. 

3 Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place; with a young 
bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering. 

4 He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the 
linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen 
girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired : these are holy 
garments: therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put 
them on. 

5 And he shall take of the congregation of the children of 
Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a 
burnt offering. 

6 And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which 
is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his 
house. 

7 And he shall take the two goats, and present them before 
the Lord, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 

8 And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the 
Lord, and the other lot for the scapegoat. 

9 And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the Lord's lot 
fell, and offer him for a sin offering. 

10 But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, 
shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make an atonement 
with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness. 



104 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

11 And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which 
is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for 
his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is 
for himself: 

12 And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from 
off the altar before the Lord, and his hands full of sweet incense 
beaten small, and bring it within the vail: 

13 And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the Lord, 
that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is 
upon the testimony, that he die not: 

14 And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle 
it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the 
mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven 
times. 

15 Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the 
people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that 
blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon 
the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat: 

16 And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because 
of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their 
transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the taber- 
nacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the 
midst of their uncleanness. 

17 And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congre- 
gation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, 
until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, 
and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel. 

18 And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the Lord, 
and make an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood 
of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the 
horns of the altar round about. 

19 And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger 
seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness 
of the children of Israel. 

20 And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy 
place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he 
shall bring the live goat: 

21 And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the 
live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of 



Inspiration of Faith by Christ 105 

Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them 
upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand 
of a fit man into the wilderness: 

22 And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto 
a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilder- 
ness. 

23 And Aaron shall come into the tabernacle of the congrega- 
tion, and shall put off the linen garments, which he put on when 
he went into the holy 'place, and shall leave them there: 

24 And he shall wash his flesh with water in the holy place, 
and put on his garments, and come forth, and offer his burnt 
offering, and the burnt offering of the people, and make an 
atonement for himself, and for the people. 

25 And the fat of the sin offering shall he burn upon the altar. 

26 And he that let go the goat for the scapegoat shall wash his 
clothes, and bathe his flesh, in water, and afterward come mto 
the camp. 

27 And the bullock for the sin offering, and the goat for the 
sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in 
the holy place, shall one carry forth without the camp; and they 
shall burn in the fire their skins, and their flesh, and their 
dung. 

28 And he that burneth them shall wash his clothes, and 
bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the 
camp. 

29 And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the 
seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict 
your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own 
country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you: 

30 For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, 
to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the 
Lord. 

31 It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict 
your souls, by a statute for ever. 

32 And the priest, whom he shall anoint, and whom he shall 
consecrate to minister in the priest's office in his father's stead, 
shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen clothes, 
even the holy garments: 

33 And he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, 



106 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congre- 
gation, and for the altar: and he shall make an atonement for the 
priests, and for all the people of the congregation. 

34 And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make 
an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a 
year. And he did as the Lord had commanded Moses. 

Heb. IX: 24 For Christ is not entered into the holy place 
made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into 
heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: 

25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high 
priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of 
others; 

26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation 
of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he 
appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 

27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this 
the judgment: 

28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and 
unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time 
without sin unto salvation. 

Heb. X: 1 For the law having a shadow of good things to 
come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those 
sacrifices, which they offered year by year continually, make the 
comers thereunto perfect. 

2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because 
that the worshippers once purged should have had no more 
conscience of sins. 

3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of 
sins every year. 

4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats 
should take away sins. 

5 Wherefore, when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacri- 
fice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared 
me: 

6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no 
pleasure. 

7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is 
written of me) to do thy will, O God. 

8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offer- 



Inspiration of Faith by Christ 107 

cross, passed from scenes of earthly transgression into 
the most holy place beyond the veil — seeking, through 
the sacrifice of himself, the divine mercy for all who, 

ings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure 
therein; which are offered by the law; 

9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh 
away the first, that he may establish the second. 

10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering 
of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 

11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering 
oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 

12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for 
ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 

13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his 
footstool. 

14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that 
are sanctified. 

15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after 
that he had said before, 

16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after 
those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their hearts, 
and in their minds will I write them ; 

17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. 

18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for 
sin. 

19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the 
holiest by the blood of Jesus, 

20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us 
through the vail, that is to say, his flesh; 

21 And having a high priest over the house of God; 

22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of 
faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and 
our bodies washed with pure water. 

23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without waver- 
ing; for he is faithful that promised; 

24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and 
to good works. 



108 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

accepting him as their mediator, would draw near to 
the throne of grace. 

His death was accompanied and followed by many 
miraculous signs which afforded immediate proofs of 
the presence and overruling power of the Divine Being. 
The appalling nature of these signs must have made a 
deep and terrible impression upon the Jewish mind. 
They were such an exhibition of the power of the 
Deity, interfering in the usual course of nature, as the 
world had never before witnessed, and such as never 
since has occurred. Darkness covered the whole land 
from the sixth to the ninth hour; the earth was 
shaken; the rocks were sundered; and the veil of the 
Temple, which separated the holy place from the most 
holy, was rent in twain from top to bottom. Even the 
stoical Roman soldiers, by whom our Saviour was 
crucified, moved with fear, exclaimed, " Truly this was 
the Son of God "; 48 and the multitude which had 
gathered to witness the scene returned, smiting their 
breasts. After Jesus had been laid in the tomb and 
had risen and departed, the bodies of many of the 
saints which slept were also raised; and, coming forth 

48 In the margin of the Revised Version of the Scriptures, the 
expression here quoted is better rendered, " Truly, this was a son 
of God " — a mode of speech more consistent with Greek and 
Roman mythological ideas, and which better conveys the un- 
biased testimony of a mind, still adhering to Paganism, to the 
fact that Jesus was of divine origin. Mark ascribes this saying 
to the centurion only. Not unlikely it was first uttered by him, 
and then — as we may conclude from a comparison with Mat- 
thew's account — was reiterated in substance by his com- 
panions. 



Inspiration of Faith by Christ 109 

out of their tombs, entered the holy city and appeared 
unto many — thus giving additional assurance of the 
promised resurrection and of life beyond the grave. 49 
During the first forty days after Jesus had risen, he 
repeatedly appeared supernaturally to his disciples 
and instructed them; and finally, in the presence of 
many, he ascended up on high, and a cloud received 
him out of their sight. 50 Deeply impressed by these 

49 Mat. XXVII: 45 Now from the sixth hour there was 
darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. 

51 And, behold, the vail of the temple was rent in twain from 
the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks 
rent; 

52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints 
which slept arose, 

53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and 
went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. 

54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, 
watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were 
done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God. 



50 Acts I: 3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his 
passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, 
and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: 

4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded 
them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for 
the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 

5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be bap- 
tized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. 

6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, 
saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom 
to Israel? 

7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times 
or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 

8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is 



110 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in 
Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the utter- 
most part of the earth. 

9 And when he had spoken these things, while they be- 
held, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their 
sight. 

Mark XVI: 9 Now when Jesus was risen early the first day 
of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he 
had cast seven devils. 

10 And she went and told them that had been with him, as 
they mourned and wept. 

11 And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had 
been seen of her, believed not. 

12 After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, 
as they walked, and went into the country. 

Jn. XX: 11 But Mary stood without at the sepulchre 
weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the 
sepulchre, 

12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, 
and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 

13 And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She 
saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I 
know not where they have laid him. 

14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and 
saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. 

15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom 
seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener saith unto 
him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence tell me where thou hast 
laid him, and I will take him away. 

16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith 
unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. 

17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet 
ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto 
them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my 
God, and your God. 

18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had 
seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her. 

19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the 
week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assem- 



Inspiration of Faith by Christ 111 

bled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and 
saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 

20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands 
and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the 
Lord. 

21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my 
Father hath sent me, even so send I you. 

22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith 
unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: 

23 Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; 
and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained. 

24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not 
with them when Jesus came. 

25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen 
the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands 
the print of the nails, and put my fingers into the print of the 
nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. 

26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and 
Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and 
stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. 

27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and 
behold my hand; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into 
my side; and be not faithless, but believing. 

28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and 
my God. 

29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, 
thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet 
have believed. 

Mat. XXVIII: 5 And the angel answered and said unto the 
women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was 
crucified. 

6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the 
place where the Lord lay. 

7 And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from 
the dead: and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there 
shall ye see him : lo, I have told you. 

8 And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and 
great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word. 

9 And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met 



112 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, 
and worshipped him. 

10 Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my 
brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me. 

16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a 
mountain where Jesus had appointed them. 

17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some 
doubted. 

18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is 
given unto me in heaven and in earth. 

19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in 
the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have 
commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the 
end of the world. Amen. 

Lk. XXIV: 13 And, behold, two of them went that same 
day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about 
three score furlongs. 

14 And they talked together of all these things which had 
happened. 

15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together 
and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. 

16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. 

17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications 
are these that ye have one to another as ye walk, and are sad? 

18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering 
said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast 
not known the things which are come to pass there in these 
days? 

19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto 
him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty 
in deed and word before God and all the people: 

20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to 
be condemned to death, and have crucified him. 

21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have 
redeemed Israel : and beside all this, to day is the third day since 
these things were done. 

22 Yea, and certain women also of our company made us 
astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; 



Inspiration of Faith by Christ 113 

23 And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that 
they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. 

24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepul- 
chre, and found it even so as the women had said; but him they 
saw not. 

25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to be- 
lieve all that the prophets have spoken: 

26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter 
into his glory? 

27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded 
unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. 

28 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: 
and he made as though he would have gone further. 

29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us; for it is 
toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to 
tarry with them. 

30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took 
bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. 

31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he 
vanished out of their sight. 

32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn 
within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened 
to us the Scriptures? 

33 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, 
and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with 
them, 

34 Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to 
Simon. 

35 And they told what things were done in the way, and how 
he was known of them in breaking of bread. 

36 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst 
of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 

37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that 
they had seen a spirit. 

38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do 
thoughts arise in your hearts? 

39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle 
me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me 
have. 



114 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands 
and his feet. 

41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he 
said unto them, Have ye here any meat? 

42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of a honey- 
comb. 

43 And he took it, and did eat before them. 

44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake 
unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be ful- 
filled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, 
and in the psalms, concerning me. 

45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might un- 
derstand the Scriptures, 

46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it be- 
hooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 

47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be 
preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 

48 And ye are witnesses of these things. 

49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: 
but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with 
power from on high. 

50 And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up 
his hands, and blessed them. 

51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted 
from them, and carried up into heaven. 

52 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with 
great joy: 

53 And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing 
God. Amen. 

I Cor. XV: 1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the 
gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, 
and wherein ye stand; 

2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I 
preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 

3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also re- 
ceived, how that Christ died for our sins according to the 
Scriptures; 

4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third 
day according to the Scriptures- 



Inspiration of Faith by Christ 115 

events, and fully confirmed in their belief that he was 
the Christ, the promised Messiah, they worshiped him, 
and obeyed his instructions that they should return 
unto Jerusalem and there await their baptism with the 
Holy Spirit. 



51 



5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 

6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at 
once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but 
some are fallen asleep. 

7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. 

8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of 
due time. 

9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be 
called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 



51 Lk. XXIV: 49 And, behold, I send the promise of my 
Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye 
be endued with power from on high. 

52 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem 
with great joy: 

53 And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing 
God. Amen. 

Acts I: 9 And when he had spoken these things, while they 
beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their 
sight. 

12 Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called 
Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey. 

13 And when they were come in, they went up into an upper 
room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, 
Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son 
of Alpheus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. 

Acts II: 1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, 
they were all with one accord in one place. 

2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a 
rushing of mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were 
sitting. 



116 A Lawyer's Brie] on the Atonement 

Christ's death and the accompanying and following 
evidences of his divinity lifted the faith of his disciples 
to an immeasurably higher plane, — and thus pre- 
pared the way, as he had foretold, for the descent of 
the Holy Spirit and the wider spread of spiritual in- 
fluences. He had said to them : " It is expedient that 
I go away; for, if I go not away, the Comforter will 
not come unto you; but, if I go away, I will send him 
unto you " (Jn. xvi, 7-15). The connection of his 
death with the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Com- 
forter, and the subsequent working of the Spirit in 
the hearts of men, is a fruitful theme — so fruitful that 
here I can only allude to it. 

The crucifixion was peculiarly needful, to strip the 
disciples of every reliance on Christ's human presence, 
and to lead them to trust especially to the aid of the 
Spirit whose help he had promised. Thus far they 
had depended much upon his human — as well as his 
divine — assistance. Therefore, when they saw him 
in the power of his persecutors and threatened with 
death, their faith was sorely tried. All the disciples 
forsook him and fled: and, although Peter and John 
soon returned, Peter's courage again failed; and, at 
the palace of the high priest, he denied his Master 
with cursing. But afterwards, as the evidences of 
Christ's divinity multiplied, — and as the disciples 

3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire 
and it sat upon each of them. 

4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to 
speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 



Inspiration of Faith by Christ 117 

recollected his life, his teachings, his triumphant sacri- 
fice on the cross, his resurrection from the dead, his 
ascension on high, and felt the power of the Holy 
Spirit he had sent, — their faith became jubilant; 
and they cheerfully surrendered themselves to perse- 
cutions and martyrdoms, that they might bear the 
news of salvation through faith to a ruined world. 

Christ's sacrificial life and death were needful also 
to show that — through faith in God and with the aid 
of the Holy Spirit gained by prayerful communion 
with the Deity — a human nature like ours, fully alive 
to temptation, may triumph over evil allurements: 
and thus to prove to us that we, in like manner, may 
overcome temptation, and so may enter into brother- 
hood with Christ — " the captain " (or author) " of 
our salvation," " the first born among many breth- 
ren," — and may be with him true " children of 
God." 52 



52 Heb. II: 10 For it became him, for whom are all things, 
and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to 
make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 

11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified 
are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them 
brethren, 

12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the 
midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. 

13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold 
I and the children which God hath given me. 

14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and 
blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through 
death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, 
the devil; 



118 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

Only by the life and death of such a Saviour, are 
we told in the Scriptures, could fallen man possibly 
be lifted up to triumphant faith in God. Christ, 
himself, declared: " No man cometh unto the Father, 
but by me." . . . " I am the door; by me, if any 
man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, 
and find pasture "; " He that entereth not by the 
door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other 
way, the same is a thief and a robber" (Jn. xiv, 6; 
x, 9, 1). It is further declared: " For other founda- 
tion can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus 
Christ." ..." Neither is there salvation in any 
other; for there is none other name under Heaven, 
given among men, whereby we must be saved " 
(I Cor. hi, 11; Acts iv, 10-12). 

God and the perfect man — as united in Jesus 
Christ, displaying supernatural power and wisdom 
and offering the noblest sacrifice of love the mind can 
conceive for the redemption of a sinful world — 
assuredly must be all-sufficient. There can be noth- 
ing else as effectual for man's reclamation. Hence 



15 And deliver them, who through fear of death were all their 
lifetime subject to bondage. 

Rom. VIII: 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, 
they are the sons of God. 

17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs 
with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also 
glorified together. 

29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be 
conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn 
among many brethren. 



Inspiration of Faith by Christ 119 

we are told: "If we sin wilfully after that we have 
received the knowledge of the truth " (that is, the 
truth as revealed through Christ), " there remaineth 
no more sacrifice for sin, but a certain fearful looking 
for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall 
devour the adversary " (Heb. x, 26, 27). 

In the preaching of the apostles, the resurrection of 
Jesus was dwelt upon as one of the strongest evidences 
that he was the Messiah. No other event, except his 
death, was made more conspicuous, or was more 
effectual for the inspiration of faith. Many might 
believe that his miracles were a deceit, or were the 
result of some strange magic; but all would admit 
that a dead magician could not raise himself from the 
tomb. The proofs that he breathed out his life on 
the cross were so complete, so overwhelming, it was 
useless to contradict them. His enemies — into 
whose hands he had been betrayed, and who pro- 
cured his crucifixion — had witnessed the event. 
The chief priests, the scribes and the elders stood by, 
mocking him. A multitude of the people beheld. They 
heard the unanswered challenge, " Save thyself and 
come down from the cross," — his agonized cry, " My 
God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? " — and, 
finally, his expiring words, "Father, into thy hands 
I commend my spirit." They saw his head bowed 
as he gave up the ghost. The centurion and others 
standing near, overcome with fear, said : " Truly, 
this was a son of God," 53 — " And all the people 

53 See footnote, page 108. 



120 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

that came together to that sight, beholding the 
things which were done, smote their breasts and 
returned." 

When the soldiers came afterwards, in obedience 
to Pilate's order, to break the legs of those who were 
crucified — so as to hasten their death, that they 
might be removed before the Sabbath, which was a 
high day, — they forbore to break those of Jesus; 
since they found him already lifeless : but one of them 
thrust a spear into his side — presumably to his 
heart, for a Roman soldier well knew where to strike 
a fatal blow. 

The chief priests and elders, after his resurrection, 
did not deny his death; but caused word to be given 
out that his disciples came by night, while the watch 
at the tomb were sleeping, and stole away his body. 

The fact of Christ's resurrection was testified to by 
many persons who saw him afterwards. Among these 
were not only the apostles — to whom he repeatedly 
showed himself, challenging them to handle him and 
see that he was not a mere spirit, and whom he 
taught at intervals thereafter during a period 
of about forty days, — but there were also the 
women who went early to the sepulchre, and soon 
afterwards met him; likewise other women who, 
meeting him, came and took hold of his feet and wor- 
shiped him; and at length about five hundred of the 
brethren, at once, to whom he showed himself. 

In view of these facts, is it surprising that the 
Apostle Paul, to whom, last of all, as to " one born 



Inspiration of Faith by Christ 121 

out of due time," our Saviour appeared (I Cor. xv, 8), 
— being deeply moved by the consciousness of Christ's 
triumph over death and of his own miraculous con- 
version from a bitter persecutor of the Christians to a 
humble and devoted follower of Christ, — exclaimed : 
" I count all things but loss for the excellency of the 
knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord : for whom I have 
suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but 
dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, 
not having mine own righteousness, which is of the 
law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the 
righteousness which is of God by faith, that I may 
know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the 
fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable 
unto his death; if, by any means, / might attain unto 
the resurrection of the dead " (Phil, iii, 8-11). 



IX 

HARMONY OF THE FOREGOING VIEWS OF 

THE ATONEMENT WITH SCRIPTURE 

TEACHINGS 

Let us now consider whether the foregoing views 
respecting salvation, through faith, by Christ, har- 
monize with the teachings of the following passages of 
Scripture. 

Isa. liii. — " He was wounded for our transgres- 
sions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastise- 
ment of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes 
we are healed." ..." The Lord hath laid on him 
the iniquity of us all." . . . " For the transgressions 
of my people was he stricken." ..." By his knowl- 
edge shall my righteous Servant justify many; for 
he shall bear their iniquities." ..." He was num- 
bered with the transgressors; and he shall bear the 
sin of many, and make intercession for the trans- 
gressors." 

I Pet. iii, 18. — " Christ also hath once suffered for 
sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to 
God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by 
the Spirit." 

I Pet. ii, 24. — " Who his own self bear our sins in 
his own body on the tree." 

Gal. iii, 13. — " Christ hath redeemed us from the 

122 



Harmony of These Views with the Scripture 123 

curse of the law, being made a curse for us; for it 
is written, ' cursed is everyone that hangeth on a 
tree/ " 

II Cor. v, 21. — " He hath made him to be sin for 
us, who knew no sin." 

Mat. xx, 28. — " The Son of Man came ... to 
give his life a ransom for many." 

Acts xx, 28. — " The church of God, which he hath 
purchased with his own blood." 

I Cor. vii, 23. — "Ye are bought with a price." 

Rightly understanding the doctrine of the Atone- 
ment, as herein explained, I believe there is no antag- 
onism to these declarations. If Christ's sufferings 
were necessitated by our transgressions, in order to 
bring us to the knowledge of God, to inspire us 
with faith in God, to kindle in our hearts the love 
of God, and thus to change our dispositions and 
make them right in the sight of the Divine Being, 
— and thereby we are saved, through faith, from sin 
and the sufferings which result from inharmony with 
God and other moral beings, — and if our transgres- 
sions in the past, accordingly, are forgiven, — may it 
not be said truly, although the language is somewhat 
metaphorical, that Christ has suffered in our stead, 
the just for the unjust, — that he was bruised for our 
transgressions and wounded for our iniquities, that he 
gave his life a ransom for us, — that we are purchased 
with his own blood, and that, through his sufferings 
we are relieved — so far as the divine forgiveness can 
bring relief — of the just penalty of our wrongdoing? 



124 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

Let us not understand this, however, as an arbitrary 
arrangement, whereby the flaming wrath of an of- 
fended Deity is appeased by inflicting punishment 
upon an innocent substitute for the guilty; or as the 
weak device of a tyrannical ruler, who would coerce 
his subjects into obedience simply through fear, and 
is willing to let the guilty go free if he can wreak his 
vengeance on an unoffending victim. But rather let 
us regard it as an infinitely wise scheme of redemption 
through persuasive moral agencies, in which God per- 
mitted his best beloved Son to suffer even for his 
enemies and as the willing victim of human malevo- 
lence, by death on the cross, in order that he might 
present to us the loftiest examples of both divine and 
human love, and thus might win mankind from sin 
and its consequent wretchedness, might restore har- 
mony to a disordered and conflicting universe, and 
might establish forever the dominion of universal 
love. 

Is it not manifest, then, that the sufferings of Christ 
during his earthly pilgrimage were not inflicted on 
him as an arbitrary punishment by the Divine Father, 
but resulted rather — under the spiritual promptings 
of the Father — from what he voluntarily endured in 
his intercourse with sinful men and in his efforts to 
save them (to which he was impelled by his love, by 
his sorrow at beholding a world lying in wickedness, 
by his intense longing for its deliverance, and by the 
influence of the Holy Spirit); and were the conse- 
quence more especially of his final sacrifice of himself 



Harmony of These Views with the Scripture 125 

on the cross, in order that he might open the way for 
redemption to all mankind? 

God comforted and sustained his dearly beloved 
Son in these sufferings — so far as was practicable 
through moral agencies — by the aid of the Spirit and 
occasionally, at least, by the ministration of angels. 
Thus, after his temptation in the wilderness, angelic 
messengers ministered unto him; and, during his 
agony in Gethsemane, there appeared unto him an 
angel from heaven, strengthening him. 1 But, on the 

1 Lk. IV: 1 And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned 
from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 

2 Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he 
did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward 
hungered. 

13 And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he 
departed from him for a season. 

14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee : 
and there went out a fame of him through all the region round 
about. 

Acts X: 36 The word which God sent unto the children of 
Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:) 

37 That word, J say, ye know, which was published throughout 
all Judea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John 
preached; 

38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost 
and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that 
were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. 

Mark I: 9 And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus 
came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in 
Jordan. 

10 And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the 
heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: 

11 And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my 
beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 



126 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

cross, he was left without such ministration in order 
that his moral strength and the perfection of his love 
might be proved to the utmost, and thus that his 
example to us might be made perfect. Hence, al- 
though trusting to the last in the Father Almighty, 
it being still unrevealed to him (as was also the case 

12 And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness. 

13 And he was there in the wilderness forty days tempted of 
Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered 
unto him. 

Mark. XIV: 26 And when they had sung a hymn, they went 
out into the mount of Olives. 

32 And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: 
and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray. 

33 And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and 
began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy; 

34 And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto 
death: tarry ye here, and watch. 

35 And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and 
prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 

36 And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; 
take away this cup from me: nevertheless, not what I will, but 
what thou wilt. 

Lk. XXII: 39 And he came out, and went, as he was wont, 
to the mount of Olives: and his disciples also followed him. 

40 And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that 
ye enter not into temptation. 

41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, 
and kneeled down, and prayed, 

42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from 
me: nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be done. 

43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, 
strengthening him. 

44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and 
his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the 
ground. 



Harmony of These Views with the Scripture 127 

in Gethsemane) why he should thus suffer without 
relief, he exclaimed in his dying agony, " My God, my 
God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Yet, after his 
death, how wonderfully was the divine love mani- 
fested in his triumphant resurrection and his ascension 
into everlasting glory. 



X 

THE ATONEMENT HONORS THE LAW 

But it may be asked: If we accept the foregoing 
view of the Atonement, shall we be satisfied that God's 
law is thereby honored or vindicated, and that God, 
as respects his granting pardon on this basis to re- 
pentant and believing sinners, may be fitly recognized 
as " just and the justifier of him which believeth in 
Jesus "? 

Under a purely moral government, no penalties 
are specified for transgressions of the law; punishment 
is left to the evil consequences that naturally follow. 
No penalties were named in connection with the ten 
commandments; although punishments for certain 
breaches of them were ordained in the civil and 
criminal code which immediately followed and which 
was intended for the government of the Israelites, as 
a nation, but not recognized as obligatory under the 
Christian dispensation. 

Christ declared, " Till heaven and earth pass, one 
jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law " 
(meaning undoubtedly the moral law) " till all be ful- 
filled " (Mat. v, 18). But how did he mean, fulfilled? 

What is the purpose of the moral law: is it to pro- 
vide an excuse for inflicting penal suffering for wrong- 
doing, to gratify an arbitrary ruler and compel 

128 



The Atonement Honors the Law 129 

obedience to his will; or, on the contrary, is it to 
bring men to a more vivid consciousness of the right, 
and to induce them to regard it, by leading them to 
recognize the harm which, in the very nature of 
things, is inevitable from wrongdoing, — and thus 
cause them to have faith in the All-Wise Ruler who is 
ever seeking their good and trying to keep them from 
needless pain, — and, in this way, is striving to render 
them voluntarily obedient to his requirements? * 

1 Rom. Ill: 19 Now we know that what things soever the 
law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every 
mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty 
before God. 

20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be 
justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 

21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is 
manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 

22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus 
Christ unto all and upon all them that believe; for there is no 
difference: 

23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. 

24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption 
that is in Christ Jesus: 

25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through 
faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission 
of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 

26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he 
might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. 

27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? 
of works? Nay; but by the law of faith. 

28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith 
without the deeds of the law. 

29 7s he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gen- 
tiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: 

30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision 
by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. 



130 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

When an earthly father says to his son: Go no 
nearer to where they are blasting with dynamite than 
the farthest wall; if you do, you will be severely 
punished, — but does not state how he will be pun- 
ished; — does he say this that he may find an excuse 
for chastising his son in a resentful manner, such as 
would be prompted by ordinary human anger, in case 
of disobedience, or, on the contrary, that he may 
bring him to a lively sense of danger from the coming 
explosion, and so may keep him from the risk of 
possibly fatal injury, and may also impress him with 
his father's loving care and forethought, and thus may 
induce him to a satisfactory prudence and filial 
affection? 

Plainly the law is honored or vindicated by what- 
ever rightly accomplishes its ultimate purpose, or 
effects that which is kept in view from the beginning 
as its moral end. 2 

31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: 
yea, we establish the law. 



2 Rom. X: 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteous- 
ness to every one that believeth. 

5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, 
That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. 

6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this 
wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? 
(that is, to bring Christ down from above:) 

7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up 
Christ again from the dead.) 

8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy 
mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we 
preach; 



The Atonement Honors the Law 131 

9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, 
and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from 
the dead, thou shalt be saved. 

10 For with the heart man belie veth unto righteousness; and 
with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 

Gal. Ill: 11 But that no man is justified by the law in the 
sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. 

12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth 
them shall live in them. 

13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being 
made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that 
hangeth on a tree: 

14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles 
through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the 
Spirit through faith. 

15 Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be 
but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, 
or addeth thereto. 

16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. 
He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy 
seed, which is Christ. 

17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed 
before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and 
thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the 
promise of none effect. 

18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: 
but God gave it to Abraham by promise. 

19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of 
transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was 
made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. 

20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. 

21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: 
for if there had been a law given which could have given life 
verily righteousness should have been by the law. 

22 But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the 
promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that 
believe. 

23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up 
unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 



132 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

If its purpose be to protect mankind, by warning 
them against wrongdoing, — instead of providing 
beforehand for the indulgence by the Divine Being of 
a retaliatory and unforgiving spirit, — then it is 
vindicated by whatever begets faith in the lawgiver 
and in the wisdom and justice of his requirements, and 
thus brings men to a sincere effort to obey the law — 
not from compulsion, but from a desire to do right. 
In this way, the subjects of the law are set right at 
heart. 3 They become righteous in the sight of the 
lawgiver. At the same time, the law stands as the 
eternally abiding expression of infinite wisdom and 
goodness. But there is no feeling of bondage under 
the law: since its subjects fully realize that it is for 
the best; and earnestly desire, of their own free will, 
to live according to its requirements. 4 

24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto 
Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 

25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a 
schoolmaster. 

26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 



3 Heb. X: 14 For by one offering he hath perfected forever 
them that are sanctified. 

15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after 
that he had said before, 

16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after 
those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their hearts, 
and in their minds will I write them; 

17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. 

4 Rom. VIII: 1 There is therefore now no condemnation to 
them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but 
after the Spirit. 



The Atonement Honors the Law 133 

Now, since the atonement by Christ — which, in 
itself, is a personal tribute to the excellence of the 
law — brings men to recognize the power, wisdom and 
goodness of God, and leads them, through faith and 
love, to honor and obey him, it is plain that, cooper- 
ating with the law, it serves most effectually to vindi- 
cate it and to establish the kingdom of heaven in the 
hearts of men. Can the human mind conceive of 
anything more glorious than this — a dominion of 
perfect love and of eternal righteousness, established 
solely through moral agencies? 

When Jesus was asked by one of the Pharisees, 
Which is the great commandment in the law? he 
replied (Mat. xxii, 34-40): "Thou shalt love the 
Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, 
and with all thy mind. This is the first and great com- 
mandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou 
shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two com- 
mandments hang all the law and the prophets." 
Paul, the apostle, condenses the truth into these 

2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made 
me free from the law of sin and death. 

3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through 
the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, 
and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 

4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, 
who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the 
sons of God. 

15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to 
fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we 
cry, Abba, Father. 



134 A Lawyer 1 s Brief on the Atonement 

words (Rom. xiii, 10), " Love is the fulfilling of the 
law." 

If it be admitted, then, that the Atonement brings 
men to faith, to love — which is built on faith, — 
and to obedience — which springs from both, — it 
must be regarded as honoring or fulfilling the law, 
in whatever way the Atonement accomplishes these 
results. Past offenses of the redeemed are forgiven. 
Literal satisfaction is not demanded; else there would 
be no forgiveness. Christ has paid the unsatisfied 
debt, so far as is needful to permanently establish the 
work of redemption. 

Amid the superstitions and shadows of the past, 
the Atonement has been long deemed a mystery; 
but, in the light of the present, may it not be regarded 
as a transparent expression of God's infinite wisdom 
and love, meant solely to win us persuasively to the 
right, and which should fill our hearts therefore with 
unspeakable gratitude? 5 

6 Col. I: 19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all 
fulness dwell; 

20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by 
him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, / say, whether 
they be things in earth, or things in heaven. 

21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in 
your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 

22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy 
and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: 

23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not 
moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, 
and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; 
whereof I Paul am made a minister; 



The Atonement Honors the Law 135 

24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that 
which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his 
body's sake, which is the church: 

25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensa- 
tion of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; 

26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and 

FROM GENERATIONS, BUT NOW IS MADE MANIFEST TO HIS SAINTS! 

27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of 
the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in 
you, the hope of glory: 

28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every 
man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in 
Christ Jesus. 

Rom. XVI: 25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you 
according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, accord- 
ing to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret 
since the world began, 

26 But now is made manifest, and by the Scriptures of the 
prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting 
God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith. 

I Cor. II: 6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that 
are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes 
of this world, that come to nought : 

7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the 
hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our 
glory; 

8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had 
they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 

9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, 
neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which 
God hath prepared for them that love him. 

10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the 
Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 

Eph. Ill: 8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all 
saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gen- 
tiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; 

9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the 
mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid 
in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: 



136 A Lawyer's Brief on the Atonement 

10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in 
heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold 
wisdom of God, 

11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in 
Christ Jesus our Lord: 

12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by 
the faith of him. 

The End 



Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process 
Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide 
Treatment Date: July 2005 

PreservationTechnologie 

A WORLD LEADER IN PAPER PRESERVATIO 

1 1 1 Thomson Park Drive 
Cranberry Township, PA 16066 
(724) 779-21 1' 



One copy del. to Oat. Div. 



APR 6 IUG 



II> M 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 





014 226 936 3 § 



